A district center in Afghanistan's northern Takhar Province fell to the Taliban on May 30 following a battle that left four Afghan security personnel dead, a spokesman for the provincial governor said.
Several other security force members were wounded as Taliban militants overran the center of the Dasht-e Qala district, Sunnatullah Timor told RFE/RL.
"After seven hours of fighting and resistance, unfortunately [the district center] has fallen. The Taliban have taken control of government offices and burned a number of the offices," he said.
Timor said Afghan forces retreated to the outskirts of the district and were reorganizing with the intent of retaking control from the Taliban. He told the dpa news agency that reinforcements are on the way.
Attacks on Afghan security forces, district centers, and provincial capitals have increased since the announcement of the Taliban's annual spring offensive in April.
With reporting by dpa