Taliban storm Afghan district

HERAT—Scores of Taliban militants stormed a district of western Afghanistan in another bid to capture the strategic area, police said Friday.
Security forces were meanwhile preparing a fresh attempt to regain control of an adjacent district in the western province of Farah that was captured by the Islamic rebels late Monday, police said. “More than 100 Taliban attacked Bakwa district,” provincial police chief Abdul Rehman Sarjang told. “One policeman was killed and one was wounded in the heavy fighting and an unknown number Taliban were also killed and wounded.” The main road to Iran, one of Afghanistan’s most important trading partners, runs through the volatile district which has seen a surge in Taliban-linked violence in the past months. Insurgents overran the administrative centre of the neighbouring district of Gulistan on Monday and Afghan forces and NATO-led troops have been trying to wrest it back.
“We have control over half of Gulistan and Taliban control the other half. Since late yesterday there has been no fighting. We will retake the district soon,” Sarjang added.—Agencies