LOC23:04
20:04 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Aug 6 (KUNA) -- Taliban forces on Friday captured the city of Zaranj, the capital of Afghanistan's southwestern Nimroz province, on the border with Iran as the first provincial capital to be seized by the group after United States troop's withdrawal from the country.
According to local media Tolo news, Taliban attacked the provincial capital on Thursday night and captured it on Friday.
Taliban are now controlling three districts of Nimroz out of five.
Taliban forces has taken over dozens of districts and border crossings in recent months and heavy clashes are underway in Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south.
Taliban had seized the governor's office, the police headquarters and an encampment near the Iranian border, said reports.
The attacks were followed by hundreds of residents of the city, flocking towards the border with Iran, in a desperate search for safety.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor of Jowzjan province, Abdul Qader Malia told the media that at least 10 Afghan soldiers and a commander of armed members belonging to the Abdul Rashid Dostum militia group in Afghanistan's northern Jowzjan province were killed.
Around nine of the 10 districts of Jowzjan were now controlled by the Taliban and the contest to control Sheberghan, the provincial capital, was under way.
Moreover, Taliban also closed a key border crossing with Pakistan on Friday, saying no one would be allowed through.
Last month, the Taliban captured the southeast Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing from Afghan forces.
Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement to media confirmed that the group's leadership had endorsed the move, and on Friday the border had been closed. (end)
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