Taliban militants following heavy overnight fighting overran Ghormach district in the northern Faryab province with Maimana as its capital 425 km north of Kabul on Sunday, a local official said.

"The armed Taliban fighters after fierce fighting entered the center of Ghormach district and captured the district headquarters at 02:00 a.m. local time today forcing security forces to retreat," head of provincial council, Sayed Abdul Baqi Hashimi told Xinhua.

Taliban militants, he said, are presently wandering in the bazaar of Ghormach district.

He also warned if the government fails to send reinforcement and air support; the militants would capture all bases of security forces deployed in the district.

Meantime, police in Ghormach declined to make comment.

Source: XINHUA