KABUL – The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said Friday that security forces arefighting the Taliban to retake Badakhshan’s Kohistan district which fallento the militants on Thursday evening.

Badakhshan military officials meanwhile said commandos have arrived in thedistrict and are advancing towards Kohistan’s center, TOLO News hasreported.

Badakhshan Police Chief Abdul Khaliq Aqsai said the commando troops landedin Kohistan district at midnight and that they have reached near the centerof the district.

“We have had less casualties here, but the enemy suffered high fatalitiesand their key members were killed,” said Aqsai.

“With the arrival of the forces, we will clear a large number of areasrelated to Kohistan and Raghistan districts,” he added.

Badakhshan Provincial Council members said poor war management is “the mainreason” that Taliban has expanded their activities in the province.

Jawed Mujaddidi, member of the council, claimed that security forces leftthe district center on Thursday evening without any resistance against theTaliban.

“We have said repeatedly that the local government in Badakhshan is weak.We call on Badakhshan residents to stand and defend the country as they didin the past,” Mujaddidi told TOLOnews.

“The central government does not pay attention to demands of people,” saidSayed Omar Bahir, a civil society activist in Badakhshan.

Residents of Badakhshan said government’s negligence on Taliban’s movementsin insecure parts is the reason behind the fall of the district.

“We will witness the fall of Faizabad City if the situation prevails,”Wahid Shiwan, a resident of the province, said.