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The spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoI) said on Sunday that eight districts in southern and southeastern parts of Afghanistan are out of central government's control

The ministry declined to disclose names of the districts.

Efforts are on the ground to bring the districts back into central government's control, the spokesman for MoI, Zemarai Bashari told reporters at a news conference held in the compound of the ministry.

"There are around eight districts where Afghan security forces have no presence. And we don't know who has the control there," said Mr Zemarai.

He said private security guards are not allowed to move around in Kabul.

"The companies can no longer patrol within villages and towns with two or three vehicles packed with armed men to bother people. This is absolutely banned," he said.

In the past week, 78 insurgent attacks have happened in different parts of the country. He said most of the attacks were carried out in violence-hit provinces including Helmand, Kandahar, Wardak and Kunar.

The ministry said police activity in the fight against drug traffickers has increased 68 percent.

There has been a 50 percent downturn in the insurgents' casualties, while police and civilian casualties have decreased 33 percent.