Roundup: Afghan forces capture Taliban bastion in north, Taliban overrun district

Afghan security forces, in a latest victory against Taliban militants in the northern Kunduz province bordering Tajikistan, captured Taliban's bastion in Dasht-e-Archi district on Wednesday, forcing militants to flee, district governor Nasirudin Saadi said.

"The security forces after couple of days of fierce fighting captured Dasht-e-Archi district and the militants fled away after leaving several bodies behind," Saadi told Xinhua.

All government offices including the district headquarters have been cleaned up of insurgents and the local authorities resumed their duties, the official added.

More than 40 Taliban militants have been killed and house to house search to locate insurgents is continuing, Saadi asserted.

Dasht-e-Archi had served as Taliban main bastion in the northern provinces of Afghanistan over the past two years, from where the militant group had organized its operations in Kunduz and neighbroing Baghlan and Takhar provinces.

Taliban militants who have yet to make comments on government forces victory in Dasht-e-Archi district captured Kunduz city, the capital of Kunduz province, 250 km north of Kabul on Sept. 29.

The government forces backed by U.S. military recaptured the strategically important Kunduz city after 12 days of heavy fighting.

General Murad Ali Murad, the commander of government forces in Kunduz, told local media on Wednesday that the militants have been wiped out from all villages in Dasht-e-Archi district, adding his forces would pursue armed insurgents elsewhere to kill or capture the enemies.

Taliban militants in a bold offensive overrun Darqad district in the neighboring Takhar province on Wednesday.

"Taliban militants after launching a well-coordinated attack overnight captured the headquarters of Darqad district at 04:00 a.m. local time today, forcing government forces to retreat," Takhar provincial police spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir told Xinhua.

Meantime, Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit and in contact with media said that the Taliban after killing 12 police personnel captured Darqad district.

Warring sides in Afghanistan usually doing their best to gain more grounds before the onset of harsh winter in the mountainous country. Endit