Via Al Jazeera:

Taliban fighters have captured a key district in Afghanistan’s northern province of Baghlan after days of fighting, Afghan officials say.

The fighters launched a coordinated attack on Dahana-e-Ghori on Friday that led to heavy fighting in the area until the Taliban took control of the district on Monday.

Amir Gul Hussainkhil, deputy police chief of Baghlan, said Dahana-e-Ghori district was under siege for days and the Taliban managed to seize it because dozens of Afghan forces made “a tactical retreat”.

However, the Taliban, known to exaggerate in their reporting of casualties and impact of the attacks for which they claim responsibility, said they killed and captured “many” policemen.

“We have hoisted our white flag in the district now. Many Afghan forces have been killed and 33 soldiers are captured,” Zabiullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said the Taliban opened two other frontlines, fighting against Afghan security forces in Baghlan-e-Markazi, which neighbours Dahana-e-Ghori, and in Tala wa Barfak.