GHAZNI CITY – The Taliban on Thursday claimed capturing the Ab-i-Banddistrict of southern Ghazni province following coordinated attack thatkilled five police and injured three others including the district policechief.

A member of the Ghazni provincial council, Asmatullah Jamradwal, confirmedthe Taliban attack on security posts in the Ab-i-Band district. He said theensuing clashes stretched into Thursday morning, leaving five police deadand three others wounded.

But the governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Arif Noori, said two policemen werekilled and four others including the district police chief, Ziaul Haq, wereinjured in the attack.

He said several Taliban assailants also suffered casualties in thefirefight and currently clearing operation was underway in the area.

A Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the fighters overran all areasof the Ab-i-Band district during attacks on the district security posts,the police building and the district administration office.