Taliban seize key area in north Afghanistan: Local official

‘The Taliban militants have taken control of a key area in northern Afghanistan after heavy clashes that claimed the lives of at least seven security forces, a provincial official says.
Zabi Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the militant group launched a series of coordinated attacks in the northern Sari Pul Province on Saturday, seizing control of the strategic Mirzawalang area in Sayad district after over two days of battles.
He said local security forces had called in but not gotten government reinforcements.
“We requested reinforcement from the central government, unfortunately couldn’t get any support, that is why the forces lost control of Mirzawalang,” Amani said.
The spokesman said that ten Taliban militants, including two group leaders, had been killed and four Afghan security officers wounded in the two days of gun battles in the northern province.’
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