KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Both the Taliban militants and the government forces have intensified operations elsewhere in Afghanistan amid reports that the U.S. delegation and the Taliban outfit are close to an agreement that will see U.S. forces withdraw from the war-torn country.
Taliban militants, according to security officials, have launched massive offensives against security forces' checkpoints in northern Baghlan, Kunduz, Sari Pul, Balkh, Faryab and western Farah provinces to gain ground and consolidate positions.
Due to the Taliban offensives, the road linking the national capital Kabul to the northern provinces has been blocked in Kilagai area of Baghlan province and traffic has been disrupted over the past week as the armed militants usually stop all kinds of vehicle and check the commuters.
Scores of fighters from both sides have been killed but the security forces have yet to secure the road for civilian vehicles in Kilagai area outside Baghlan's provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri.
Similarly, the militants stormed Khan Abad district in northern Kunduz province on Thursday and heavy fighting has been continuing in neighboring Dasht-e-Archi district for the past couple of days.
However, the government forces were able to recapture Wardoj district in the northern Badakhshan province last week to end the Taliban's four years reign in the district after killing Taliban shadow provincial governor Mawlawi Fasihudin on Thursday.
Taliban attacks to overrun Kunduz city, the capital of northern Kunduz province and their offensive to capture Farah's provincial capital the Farah city have been foiled.
More than 100 fighters, from both sides, according to security officials and the Taliban sources, have been killed over the past 10 days.
Taliban militants kidnapped six reporters in eastern Paktika province on Friday and the armed outfit's spokesman Zabihullah Majahid said that the journalists would be freed soon.
Fighting has escalated amid reports that progress had been made in the U.S.-Taliban talks held in Doha last week to find negotiated solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and facilitate the U.S-led coalition forces pull out from the country.
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen for Taliban liaison office in Doha, according to media reports, described the talks as positive, saying the meeting held on Friday had made "good progress".
However, an Afghan observer has predicted more fighting in the coming days.
"The warring sides specially the Taliban militants would further intensify activities in the coming days and weeks to gain more ground and secure upper hand in the possible talks with the government delegation expected in the coming months," political analyst Khan Mohammad Daneshjo told Xinhua.
