2 dozen soldiers killed, injured as militants overrun in Afghanistan

More than two dozen Afghan security forces were killed and injured after Taliban militants overran Bala Murghab district in the country's western province of Badghis in the latest militants attempt to capture a district, a local official said Thursday.

"Hundreds of militants armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) stormed Bala Murghab district center from different locations at midnight Wednesday night," district governor Waris Shirzad told Xinhua.

He said the district bazaar and several government offices were captured by the militants as security forces retreated to avoid civilian casualties.

An unofficial source said 40 Afghan soldiers were killed, 10 wounded and five others went missing during the fighting while several militants were also killed and wounded during the clashes.

"The clashes are still ongoing as of mid-day Thursday and more than 500 security forces are besieged by the militants in an army camp and district police station," he said.

He warned if reinforcement did not arrive in the restive district, more casualties would be inflicted on security forces.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense confirmed that army personnel were retreated in the strategic district, adding Afghan air force was conducting airstrikes against the militants on the outskirts of Bala Murghab early Thursday.

Bordering Turkmenistan, the Bala Murghab district which connects northern and western provinces has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and militants since early March.