Afghan forces recapture another district from Taliban

Kabul: Afghan security forces have recaptured the Khinjan district in Baghlan province from the clutches of the Taliban, an army statement said.

"Following a counter-offensive and cleanup operations, the Khinjan district and the neighbouring Kilagai area were liberated and the Taliban militants after suffering casualties fled," Xinhua news agency quoted the statement issued on Friday as saying.

Taliban militants have captured seven districts in Baghlan over the past couple of weeks.

Heavy clashes have been underway on the outskirts of the the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri city for the last five days, TOLO News reported.

But security forces have managed to prevent the group from entering the city, 160 km north of Kabul.

Fridays devalopment comes as Afghan forces have retaken six districts from the Taliban in three districts in the last 24 hours.

The districts are Andkhoi and Khan Chahar Bagh in Faryab, Khinjan and Doshi in Baghlan, and Ahmad Aba and Sayed Karam in Paktia, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Fierce clashes have continued between the Taliban militants and government forces since the drawdown of US troops on May 1.

The Taliban, according to its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, has captured more than 70 districts over the past month.