Taliban overrun Qarain valley in Afghanistan's Faryab province

Taliban militants have overrun the strategically important Qarain valley in Almar district of Faryab province with Maimana as its capital 425 km northwest of Kabul, an army spokesman in the province, Mohammad Reza Razai said Tuesday.

"More than 1,000 Taliban militants attacked Qarain valley early Tuesday and after suffering huge casualties including 30 deaths, they captured the area and security forces retreated," Rezai told Xinhua.

Three pro-government fighters have also sustained injuries in the firefight, he said.

However, local people said that the fall of Qarain valley with 30,000 population would facilitate the fall of Almar district if the government fails to take proper action for the eviction of militants from the area. Endi