Taliban seize district headquarters in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL – An Afghan official says the Taliban have overrun a district headquarters in eastern Afghanistan.

Naqib Ahmad Atal, spokesman for the governor of Paktia province, says Afghan security forces withdrew from the Janikhail district headquarters Saturday to prevent civilian casualties.

He says at least five police officers were killed and five others were wounded in heavy fighting.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the fighters have taken over the district and seized weapons, ammunition and military vehicles.

The Taliban have been waging offensives across Afghanistan in recent months, capturing two districts in the north and threatening the provincial capital of the southern Helmand province.