Ten districts in 7 Afghan provinces fall to Taliban

dpa Kabul Taliban militants captured at least 10 districts in seven different provinces across embattled Afghanistan as the insurgents continue to gain g...

dpa Kabul Taliban militants captured at least 10 districts in seven different provinces across embattled Afghanistan as the insurgents continue to gain ground while foreign forces withdraw.The militants took control of Nahrin and Baghlan-e Markazi in northern Baghlan province, officials said on Tuesday.According to local councillors Abdul Wali Raji and Shams-ul Haq Barakzai, fighting was currently ongoing in police district two of the provincial capital city of Pul-e Khumri.In the meantime, Khamab district in northern Jawzjan province was abandoned overnight without any resistance, local officials said.A deputy governor of Jawzjan said that the issue was under investigation to find out why the district was left without coordination with the local government.Kushendeh in northern Balkh province has also fallen to the Taliban according to local councillor Mohammad Asif Mohmand and member of parliament for the province Fawzia Hamidi.The Taliban have also taken control of a commercial port, Shir Khan, in northern Kunduz province, local councillors Amruddin Wali and Ghulam Rabbani Rabbani said. The port connects the province with neighbouring Tajikistan.Since the beginning of the official withdrawal of the United States and other NATO troops on May 1, at least 60 districts have fallen to the Taliban.Afghanistan has 34 provinces and around 400 districts. District centres serve as secondary-level administrative units, one level below the provinces.According to a UN report, the Taliban were able to capture five districts last year, four of which were recaptured by the government within several days.