Date:08/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/08/stories/2006090805901400.htm

International

Taliban captures two districts

KABUL: Taliban militants have occupied two districts in the southern Afghan provinces of Helmand and Zabul, local officials told Xinhua on Thursday. Garmser in Helmand and Arghandab in Zabul were under mounting Taliban pressure over the past few months. ``Taliban captured the centre of Garmser and we have relocated the district headquarters,'' said the provincial police chief.

Zabul's police chief said both the district chief and the police chief of Arghandab had resigned due to unknown reasons and that the Taliban had entered the district centre.

A Taliban's purported spokesman claimed that the militants had captured both the districts and hoisted their flags there. — Xinhua