Taliban take over district in southern Afghanistan

Taliban militants have seized control of a district in Afghanistan’s volatile south after an hours-long clash that killed five people, including the local police chief and the political leader.

The Taliban launched the attack yesterday evening on the Giro district of Ghazni province, setting fire to several buildings and cutting communication lines, said provincial deputy governor Kazim Allayer.

The district chief and four policemen, including the police chief, were killed in a battle with the militants that lasted several hours, Allayer said. Police reinforcements have been sent to the area, said Deputy police chief Mohammad Zaman said.

“Giro collapsed last night, captured by the Taliban after heavy fighting between the police and the Taliban,” said Gen. Murad Ali, deputy regional corps commander of the Afghan army.

Ali said that early today the Afghan army sent troops from Ghazni and Paktika to assist.

Nato and the US-led coalition said they were aware of the incident.

“The details are very sketchy right now. We’re tracking it closely,” said Maj. William Mitchell, a spokesman for the US-led coalition.