Local officials in Faryab and Ghor provinces confirmed Taliban insurgents seized control of Kohistan district in Faryab and Taywara district in Ghor after engaging in fierce gunfights with security forces in the past 24 hours.

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 pm local time. Officials said the district collapsed after heavy fighting at about 2am. But this was not end - 220 kilometer 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," said Abdul Karim Yurish, spokesman for Faryab police headquarters.

But the Defense Ministry says 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.

But government leaders are concerned about the situation.

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

These two districts have however faced fierce fighting. Poor war leadership has often been cited as the reason for this.

"It is very easy to end this war, because we have enough advisors and forces and programs, but we have a leadership issue," said military analyst Atiqullah Amarkhail.

"Government officials have failed to maintain security in Afghanistan, they failed to define a working program in this respect," senator Sami Faisal said.

There are some reports that a number of government forces have been surrounded by the Taliban in these districts.

Security sources have asked the government to make sure that reinforcements are sent to the area.

The collapse of the two districts comes amid fierce battles around the country. Currently the security forces are fighting the Taliban on a number of fronts including Badakhshan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Zabul and Helmand provinces.

LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/7669

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