TALUQAN CITY (Pajhwok): Local officials on Monday warned the Taliban would capture Khwaja Ghar district of northern Takhar province if reinforcements did not arrive soon.
Mohammad Omar, the Khwaja Ghar district chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News that militants stormed police checkpoints in Gurtapa and Islamabad areas of the district on Monday night.
Security forces suffered no casualties in the attacks, but the insurgents seized the two key areas.
“Militants now control over 50 villages and the district would collapse if reinforcements not arrived soon”, Omar warned.
However, Takhar deputy police chief Col. Nizamuddin Ghori said reinforcements had reached the area and the Taliban would be pushed back soon.
On the other hand, Zabihullah Mujaheed, a Taliban spokesman, said the militants seized 17 police checkpoints and inflicted casualties to several security forces.
He said that Khwaja Ghar district had been besieged by the Taliban.
The Taliban once seized Khwaja Ghar district two years back, but it was recaptured by Afghan forces.
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