Building on their military gains since the official start of the withdrawal of international troops, the Taliban has captured yet another district in Afghanistan on Tuesday.
According to reports, government forces abandoned the Dawlat Abad district centre in northern Faryab province before dawn and fled to neighbouring Andkhoi district without engaging the militants.
The Provincial Councilor, Abdul Ahad Alibek revealed that the fate of more than a dozen members of the security forces in the district remained unclear because the telecommunications system was down.
Dawlat Abad was under siege for three years and forces could only receive logistical support by air.
Ground support was impossible because the militants controlled all routes leading to the district, Alibek added.
In Ghazni province, in the south-east, the militants overran two security checkpoints in Ab Band district.
Officials on Monday said that heavy clashes were ongoing in at least three districts of the province.
A member of Parliament representing Ghazni, Arif Rahmani, warned that the districts could collapse if the government failed to send in air support.
dpa/NAN
