By Shadi Khan Saif 

KABUL, Afghanistan

The Taliban in Afghanistan managed to enter Farah city, capital of Farah province bordering Iran, officials and local media confirmed on Tuesday. 

Deadly clashes re-erupted in Farah early morning as the Taliban launched a second round of coordinated assaults in the week. 

Fareed Bakthawar, chairman of the provincial council, informed Anadolu Agency the Taliban managed to enter Farah city in the wee-hours of Tuesday, and are engaged in heavy clashes with the security forces. He added the rebels managed to overrun a number of check points and the compound of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the spy agency.

The Defense Ministry denied reports of attacks on the NDS compound.

Multiple casualties are feared on both sides, but due to the volatile situation conflicting figures have emerged so far. 

Noorul Haq, spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA) in Farah, said up to 1,000 security personnel are engaged in gunfight with the militants. He said more than 10 militants have been killed, and five security forces wounded. 

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted that Farah has been attacked from multiple directions early this morning, and so far all check points around the city, the NDS headquarters, a police station and multiple other check points inside the city have been overrun. 

According to the local Tolo News, in the last 19 days, since the start of the Taliban’s Spring Offensive, the group carried out over 2,700 attacks which resulted in numerous fatalities.

Farah shares borders with restive Helmand province, and according to local media, the militants arrived from Helmand where an intensive security operation is ongoing.