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1st LD-Writethru: Taliban overran district in Afghan northwest province

Xinhua, May 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Taliban militants after heavy fighting captured Jawand district in the northwest Badghis province with Qala-e-Naw as its capital 555 km northwest of Kabul on Sunday, a local official said.

"The terrorist Taliban outfit launched massive offensive on Jawand district on Saturday night and the clash lasted for several hours forcing security personnel to retreat the district headquarters and thus enabled the insurgents to capture the district," Bahawudin told Xinhua.

Jawand is the most populated district in Badghis province, the official said, warning the Taliban would consolidate their grip if the government does not take rapid action to dislodge the militants.

Advance in Jawand district by Taliban took place just days after the government forces recaptured Nawa district in the eastern Ghazni province.

Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power launched their so-called annual spring offensive on April 24 and since then conducted a series of attacks against government interests in different provinces of Afghanistan which had claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians. Endi