KABUL, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The government forces in crackdown against Taliban fighters have recaptured Jaghatu district in the eastern Ghazni province while the armed militants set on fire the headquarters of Darqad district in the northern Takhar province, officials said Sunday.
In efforts to shrink the Taliban's territory, the government forces launched well-coordinated offensives against militants in parts of the relatively troubled Ghazni province couple of weeks ago and in a major achievement regained the control of Jaghatu district on Saturday night, provincial governor's spokesman Aref Nuri said.
According to Nuri, eight militants have been killed, 11 others wounded and nine more militants have been arrested.
Nuri also asserted that the security forces had evicted the armed militants from seven villages in the neighboring Rashidan district over the past two days.
According to the official, no security personnel and civilians have been hurt during operations.
The ongoing operations would last until all the insurgents' infested areas are cleared in the restive province, the official said.
Local observers believe that retaking Jaghatu district would facilitate the security forces to target the militants in Ajristan and Malistan districts.
Meanwhile, Taliban militants, obviously in a tit-for-tat response set on fire the headquarters of Darqad district in the northern Takhar province on Saturday night.
Commenting on the situation in Darqad district, Mohammad Jawad Hajari the spokesman for Takhar's governor said, "Taliban mission is nothing more than destruction" and said the security forces would regain Darqad district.
Government forces' onslaught left eight Taliban dead including a local commander Mawlawi Gul Ahmad in Zari district of the northern Balkh province on Saturday night, while a roadside bomb organized by the Taliban militants claimed the life of one police and wounded five others in Arghistan district of the southern Kandahar province on Sunday, provincial police spokesman Jamal Barikzai said.
Afghan government has been trying to shrink Taliban-controlled territory ahead of Sept.28 presidential elections and have recaptured seven districts over the past 10 days.
