Taliban offensive on key Afghan district repulsed

Kabul, June 20 Afghan security forces have repulsed a Taliban offensive to overrun the key Tala-o-Barfak district in Baghlan province, a police spokesman said.

"The Taliban rebels launched multi-pronged attacks on Tala-o-Barfak district today morning but police in sharp reaction retaliated, forcing the rebels to flee after suffering casualties, and leaving four bodies behind and three more injured," provincial police spokesman Jawed Basharat told Xinhua news agency late Saturday.

One policeman was killed and two others were injured, the official said.

If the Taliban is successful in capturing Tala-o-Barfak district, the armed group could control the road linking Baghlan's provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri to the central Bamyan province.

Basharat also noted that the security forces would continue to attack the insurgents in the restive district.

The militant group has stepped up activities and captured over a dozen districts since the withdrawal of the US-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1.

Over the past two months, the government has lost 30 districts to the Taliban, which makes up 8 per cent of the country.

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