Another Afghan district falls to Taliban

HERAT, Afghanistan (AFP) - Taliban fighters have overrun a second district in western Afghanistan, a district governor said Friday, warning the rebels could be planning to sweep into his own area.

The police and administration heads of the strategic Bakwa district in Farah province had fled after days of attacks by scores of rebels, the official said, after the militants late Monday took the adjacent Gulistan district.

Taliban insurgents have previously overrun several districts in remote parts of Afghanistan, including Bakwa, but are easily ejected by the international militaries here to aid the country's own weak security forces.

They have, however, held the district of Musa Qala, close to Gulistan, since February and the area is considered a Taliban base.

Bakwa police had made a "tactical withdrawal" to Delaram district after a new Taliban attack late Thursday, said Delaram governor Yahya Riadth.

"Taliban have control over Bakwa district now and the police and district governor have retreated to our district," he said.

Riadth warned his district, bordered by both Bakwa and Gulistan, could also be attacked.

"The government needs to reinforce our district urgently otherwise we have intelligence reports that the Taliban will attack us from both districts they have captured," he said.