Taliban makes further gains in Afghanistan, capture two districts in Ghor, Faryab

The Taliban seized control of two key districts in Afghanistan - Kohistan district in Faryab and Taywara in Ghor - in a matter of hours.

The officials in the districts say they have appealed for reinforcements and for special forces in order to drive back the insurgents.

The Taliban overran Kohistan district in northern Faryab province after storming the district government's headquarters - which houses the police headquarters - late Saturday night, Abdul Karim Yourish, a provincial police spokesman said.

Ghor governor said that the Taliban killed a number of doctors and employees of Taywara district after seizing control of the area.

But the Taliban issued a statement dismissing the allegations by the Ghor Governor as baseless.

Taliban launched an offensive on Kohistan district on Saturday night at about 10 p.m. local time. Officials said the district collapsed after heavy fighting at about 2 a.m. But this was not the end - 220 kilometres away, the Taliban also managed to seize control of Ghor's Taywara district early Sunday.

"The reason is that we were grappling with a shortage of fresh forces, we needed the commandos, but they did not come," said head of Faryab provincial council Mohammad Sami Khaikhaw.

"We requested more ground troops and air forces; hopefully our demands have been accepted," Tolo News quoted Abdul Karim Yurish, spokesman for Faryab police headquarters, as saying.

Security forces were engaged in fierce gunfights in two districts, but Taliban fighters managed to register their victory because of the poor war leadership is being cited as the reason.

But the Defence Ministry said that sufficient troops have been deployed.

"Sufficient Army and commando forces have been deployed in both districts. The situation will be under control within a few hours," said Mohammad Radmanish, deputy defense ministry spokesman.

"A member of parliament fought back in that district until it collapsed, the forces also resisted and sustained casualties," said CEO Abdullah Abdullah.