Afghan forces say head of Taliban intelligence 'eliminated'

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry announced on Monday that its security forces had eliminated the head of intelligence in the Taliban as the militant group now control most of the country.

Kari Shagasi was killed during an operation carried out by Afghan forces at dawn on Monday in the village of Muhammad Aghahi in the Logar province, the foreign ministry said.

Two of his followers were arrested during the ambush, it said. No further details were given.

The Afghan government suffered a devastating blow in recent weeks as Taliban fighters sweep across the northeast of the war-torn nation, taking control of scores of districts.

The Taliban control more than one-third of Afghanistan’s 421 districts and district centres. A Taliban claim says they control 85% of the districts is widely seen as exaggerated.

Nearly 1,600 Afghan government troops fled across the border into Tajikistan over the last two weeks in a bid to escape the threat of an onslaught in clashes with the insurgents.

The US and NATO have continued their pull out which is expected to be final by late August, ending a 20-year presence in the country.

This has raised fears among embassies and Afghan forces, who believe the Taliban will seek revenge attacks once the western forces have withdrawn.