Afghan official: Taliban take district HQ in remote north

An Afghan security official says Taliban insurgents have seized control of the administrative headquarters of a district in northern Sari Pul province, where fighting has been ongoing for days.
Amanuddin Aman, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said Tuesday that hundreds of insurgents had attacked the Kohistanat district HQ from different directions early today.
Provincial police chief Gen. Mohammad Asef Jabarkhail said earlier that a police commander and seven of his men surrendered to the Taliban after their checkpoints were attacked on Sunday.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement that the group's gunmen now control the entire district and had seized police vehicles, weapons and ammunition.

Afghanistan's war with the Taliban has intensified this year and spread to the country's previously peaceful northern regions.