Taliban outfit overrun district headquarters in northern Afghanistan

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants after fierce fighting have overrun the district headquarters of Kohistan district in the northern Badakhshan province, a local official said Friday.

"Following a massive offensive, the Taliban rebels captured the headquarters of Kohistan district on Thursday evening," the official told Xinhua but refused to be identified saying authorized officials would talk to media.

Meantime, a security personnel Ahmad Jawed has confirmed the presence of Taliban militants in the headquarters of Kohistan district but asserted that the security forces would soon launch counter-offensive to "evict militants" from the area.

Confirming the incident, Sanaullah Ruhani the spokesman for police in provincial capital Faizabad said that "fighting has been continuing close to the district headquarters" to evict the insurgents.

Neither Taliban outfit nor senior security officials have made comment.

Taliban militants have already control over Yamgan and Wardoj districts in Badakhshan province. Enditem