District falls to Taliban in western Afghan province

 Taliban fighters

QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the Taliban completely took control of the turbulent Ab Kamari district in Afghanistan's western Badghis province overnight, an official said Saturday.

"Taliban militants finally managed to take control of Ab Kamari district, after three days of siege this late Friday night," Mohammad Naser Nazari, an official of provincial council, told Xinhua.

He said the siege lasted three days and the insurgents occupied all institutions of the district after security forces withdrew and retreated to Quchaq Mountain on the outskirts of the mountainous district, in western part of the provincial capital.

Security officials have not officially confirmed the district's overrun.

The Taliban militants have recently intensified their offensives, taking grounds from security forces, amid efforts of peace negotiations between U.S. and Taliban representatives in the Gulf state of Qatar.

Bala Murghab district of Badghis was reported to be at the brink of collapse, while elsewhere in the northern Badakhshan province, Arghanchkhaw district had fallen to the militants earlier this week, before security forces retook it a few days ago.