Taliban capture 5 more districts in 2 provinces

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Taliban have overrun five more districts in northern Jawzjan and southeastern Paktia province, local officials said on Tuesday.

Qarqeen, Khumab and JajiAryub, Ahmadkhel and Laja Mangal are the collapsed districts.

Qarqeen & Khumab in Jawzjan

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed their fighters overran the districts of Khumab and Qarqeen without any clash and the insurgents captured a number of weapons and ammunition.

Jawzjan deputy governor Abdul Qadir Malia told Pajhwok said their contact with the security forces had cut off and based on initial information the Taliban had not yet entered the districts. “The militants want to demoralize people by spreading rumors,” he said.

GhulramSakhi, a resident of Qarqeen district, said the security personnel had transferred all their ammunition from the centers of Qarqeen and Khumab to Khwaja Dokoh district on Monday.

He said the militants entered the district today (Tuesday) morning on motorbikes.

JajiAryub, Ahmadkhle, Laja Mangal districts collapse of Paktia

In Paktia, Abdul Malik Zazai, chief of Provincial Council, told Pajhwok the militants captured JajiAryub, Ahmadkhel, Laja Mangal districts late on Monday.

He said the three districts had been on the verge of collapse for the past 20 days and finally captured by the rebels due to lack of reinforcement.

Arafat Saleem, one of the civil activists and resident of Laja Mangal district, said the district had been captured by the Taliban.

Governor Halim Fidayee, however, did not provide details about the districts’ fall, but said that security forces had tactically retreated from some areas.

In the last two months, about 60 districts have been captured by the Taliban.

Sa/ma