GHAZNI: The fall of Khawaja Omari district to the Afghan Taliban extendstheir territory closer to the provincial capital, also called Ghazni, acity of 150,000 people 95 miles southwest of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Taliban captured the district in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province near theprovincial capital early on Thursday and killed the district’s governor, apolice official said.

Ghazni’s Khawaja Omari district was considered one of the province’s safestdistricts.

The militants killed district governor Ali Dost Shamslink>, his bodyguards, sevenpolice officers and five government intelligence agents, said Ramazan AliMohseni, deputy police chief in Ghazni.

The Taliban link> then torchedthe district headquarters, he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement 20 police officerswere killed in the attack.

Fighting in Afghanistan traditionally increases in the spring when warmerweather melts snow blocking mountain passes, increasing the mobility of theinsurgents.