Afghan forces recapture district in Badakhshan province

Kabul, July 12 Afghan government forces have recaptured Yaftal-e-Payan district in the northern Badakhshan province, forcing the Taliban insurgents to flee, deputy spokesman for Interior Ministry Ahmad Zia Zia said.

The government forces launched counter-offensive against Taliban fighters in Yaftal-e-Payan district, forcing the insurgents to flee after suffering casualties, Xinhua news agency quoted Zia as saying on Sunday.

Taliban militants have reportedly captured 10 districts including Yaftal-e-Payan in Badakhshan province over the past couple of weeks.

In the meantime, fighting between government forces and the Taliban militants, for the control of Kuran-wo-Munjan district of Badakhshan, has been continuing for the past four days.

According to a local official, at least 30 militants have been killed or injured over the past 24 hours.

Confirming the fighting in the restive Kuran-wo-Munjan district, the spokesman for Badakhshan provincial government Nik Mohammad Nazari told Xinhua on Sunday that "17 insurgents including some foreign nationals" have been killed and some 20 others injured since Saturday.

Government forces have also recaptured Aliabad district in the northern Kunduz province, forcing the militants to flee, according to locals.

Since the start of pull-out of US-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1, Taliban militants have reportedly captured more than 170 districts.