Three districts fall to Taliban in Nuristan, Zabul

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT News

KABUL: Three districts are purportedly fallen into the Taliban as armed conflicts have been intensifying across the country.

A local source in the eastern province of Nuristan, talking on condition of anonymity, said that the security forces retreated from Do Ab and Mandawal districts of the province. The source denied giving further information in regards.

Head of Nuristan Provincial Council, Asadullah Payendazoi also confirmed the collapse of these districts to the Taliban.  The Taliban staged attacks on the districts from various directions, he said, adding that the districts had been cordoned off by the Taliban for more than 20-day. According to him, some security forces surrendered to the Taliban and some of them made a tactical retreat.

Ariana News quoted some anonymous sources as saying that Shinkai district of southern Zabul province fell to the Taliban.

This comes as spokesman of the central Ghanzi province, Wahidullah Jumazada said that the security forces retreated from the districts compound of Dehyak. But the Taliban group claimed that their fighters overrun the district.  

The Afghan security forces and Taliban have escalated offensives as the U.S. and International Forces are withdrawing, leaving the country's peace process in uncertainty.

The UN Security Council in a recent report accused the Taliban of being reluctant to engage in peace negotiations. The report said that the Taliban and al-Qaeda remained close and that the group 'shows no intention to break ties'' with al-Qaeda.

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