Taliban insurgents on Monday claimed capturing the Atghar district of southern Zabul province, but local officials rejected the assertion and said intense clashes were underway.
Abdul Qayyum, the district’s administrative chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants staged predawn attacks on the district center at 2am.
The clashes continued till morning, he said, warning the district could fall into the hands of rebels if reinforcements did not reach there. He gave no details about casualties.
Gul Salam Sial, the governor’s spokesman, said both sides suffered heavy casualties during the firefight. However, he did not give exact casualty figures.
Additional forces had been airlifted by helicopter from southern Kandahar, he informed.
Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed seizing the district. Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, the group’s spokesman, said 23 government forces suffered casualties and many weapons had been captured.
Fierce fighting underway in Zabul’s Atghar district
