Taliban militants have overrun a district in northern Afghanistan amid intense battles with Afghan security forces.
Takhar Province government spokesman Sonatulah Taimor said on October 28 that the militants have taken control of Darqad district, which is on the country's northern border with Tajikistan.
Taimor said six Afghan troops had been killed in the fighting. The Taliban issued a statement saying two of their fighters had been killed and claiming that the insurgents captured government and police buildings in the district.
Afghan government officials have said the Taliban has joined forces with militants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and other organizations with the goal of spreading northward into Central Asia.