Center of District in Maidan Wardak falls to Taliban

KABUL (Tolo News): The district governor’s compound in Jalrez district in Maidan Wardak and the police headquarters have fallen to the Taliban after heavy attacks by the group for the last three days, an MP from the province, Mahdi Rasikh, said on Friday.
Rasikh said that some members of the government forces were captured by the Taliban after their attack on the district. He said that the district remained under siege by the Taliban for the last two years. Rasikh said that at least seven security force members were killed in the Taliban attack on the district, adding that some soldiers are missing.
He reiterated that “no action was taken by the central government to help the district” during heavy fighting in the last three days. Taliban has claimed that they have captured Jalrez district. Jalrez is located in the west of Maidan Wardak province. It lies 62 kilometers southwest of Kabul.
The Ministry of Defense in a statement said an operation has started by Afghan forces to clear Jalrez district of militants. The ministry said that at least 10 militants were killed in Afghan forces airstrike in the district and that the operation will continue until Jalrez is fully cleared of Taliban. This is the second district in Maidan Wardak that falls to the Taliban in less than two weeks.
Dawlat Shah district in Laghman was captured by the Taliban, according to lawmakers from the province, but the Defense Ministry said that the security forces made a tactical retreat in the district. Violence has remained high in the country despite peace efforts. The Afghan forces and the Taliban observed a three-day ceasefire from May 12 to May 15, but a day after the truce ended, the Defense Ministry reported clashes in 18 provinces.