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| Taliban seize district in eastern Afghan province | Taliban seize district in eastern Afghan province |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Jill McGivering BBC News | By Jill McGivering BBC News |
| Officials in Afghanistan say insurgents allied to the Taliban have taken another district in a strategically important province in the north-east. | Officials in Afghanistan say insurgents allied to the Taliban have taken another district in a strategically important province in the north-east. |
| Nuristan Governor Jamaludin Badar told the BBC that 10 insurgents and three policemen had been killed. | Nuristan Governor Jamaludin Badar told the BBC that 10 insurgents and three policemen had been killed. |
| Government forces are trying to re-take the western district of Doab. | Government forces are trying to re-take the western district of Doab. |
| At least three districts in Nuristan are now under Taliban control. In others, the government presence is either weak or limited. | At least three districts in Nuristan are now under Taliban control. In others, the government presence is either weak or limited. |
| "We had intelligence reports that close to 500 Arabs, Chechen, Pakistani and Afghan fighters wanted to attack and take the districts," Mr Badar told the BBC. | "We had intelligence reports that close to 500 Arabs, Chechen, Pakistani and Afghan fighters wanted to attack and take the districts," Mr Badar told the BBC. |
| "The fighting is still going on. Our weapons are no match to those of the insurgents. We have no hand grenades, mortars or heavy machine guns. | "The fighting is still going on. Our weapons are no match to those of the insurgents. We have no hand grenades, mortars or heavy machine guns. |
| "We have asked for help from the defence ministry but they have not responded to us." | "We have asked for help from the defence ministry but they have not responded to us." |
| The insurgents control key routes into the provincial capital, Parun, allowing them to impose a blockade on the city. | The insurgents control key routes into the provincial capital, Parun, allowing them to impose a blockade on the city. |
| The fear of Afghan intelligence is that the loss of territory in Nuristan will enable militant groups including the Taliban and al-Qaeda to turn parts of the north-east of Afghanistan in a lawless area similar to North Waziristan in Pakistan. | The fear of Afghan intelligence is that the loss of territory in Nuristan will enable militant groups including the Taliban and al-Qaeda to turn parts of the north-east of Afghanistan in a lawless area similar to North Waziristan in Pakistan. |
| This will be a huge blow both to the Afghan government and to the US - which has spent millions of dollars on security improvements in the area. | This will be a huge blow both to the Afghan government and to the US - which has spent millions of dollars on security improvements in the area. |
| The terrain of the province - mountainous with thick forests - is perfectly suited for insurgent groups who will now be looking to expand their area of operations into neighbouring Laghman province - one hour from Kabul - and the strategically important provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar. | |
| The provincial authorities in Nuristan have repeatedly requested military reinforcements from the central government, and that is now happening. | The provincial authorities in Nuristan have repeatedly requested military reinforcements from the central government, and that is now happening. |
| The Afghan deputy interior minister is in Nuristan at the moment. | The Afghan deputy interior minister is in Nuristan at the moment. |
| The latest territorial gains made by the militants will also shatter the confidence of the local population and the provincial government. | The latest territorial gains made by the militants will also shatter the confidence of the local population and the provincial government. |
| Nuristan is a remote mountainous region and communications are poor. There are concerns that the blockade could mean food shortages for the local population but that is hard to confirm. | Nuristan is a remote mountainous region and communications are poor. There are concerns that the blockade could mean food shortages for the local population but that is hard to confirm. |
| The central government did recently promise military reinforcements but the sense within Afghanistan is that Nuristan has inadequate security forces and is not getting the help it needs. | The central government did recently promise military reinforcements but the sense within Afghanistan is that Nuristan has inadequate security forces and is not getting the help it needs. |
| It is not traditionally a stronghold for the Afghan Taliban. But it does have a history of tribal extremism and militancy. | It is not traditionally a stronghold for the Afghan Taliban. But it does have a history of tribal extremism and militancy. |
| Nuristan borders Pakistan's tribal areas and there seem to be growing alliances between local leaders and Pakistani Taliban groups. | Nuristan borders Pakistan's tribal areas and there seem to be growing alliances between local leaders and Pakistani Taliban groups. |
| That makes Nuristan strategically important in the wider conflict as an entry point into Afghanistan - and a potential haven for Pakistani militants. | That makes Nuristan strategically important in the wider conflict as an entry point into Afghanistan - and a potential haven for Pakistani militants. |
| It also shares an interior border with Kunar province to the south. That too lies along the border with Pakistan and is important in the battle against the insurgents. | It also shares an interior border with Kunar province to the south. That too lies along the border with Pakistan and is important in the battle against the insurgents. |
| The United States has invested heavily in building infrastructure in Kunar and will be keen to protect it. | The United States has invested heavily in building infrastructure in Kunar and will be keen to protect it. |
| Nuristan is hard to defend and has not so far been a priority for the central government. | Nuristan is hard to defend and has not so far been a priority for the central government. |
| Afghan intelligence officials in Nuristan say that they have repeatedly warned the government and Nato about the worsening security situation. | Afghan intelligence officials in Nuristan say that they have repeatedly warned the government and Nato about the worsening security situation. |
| "If you don't come and deal with this mess. You will be dealing with another Waziristan and al-Qaeda's next home inside Afghanistan," one official told the BBC. | "If you don't come and deal with this mess. You will be dealing with another Waziristan and al-Qaeda's next home inside Afghanistan," one official told the BBC. |