Heavy clashes are ongoing in parts of northern Kunduz province including the Charkhab area of the city, local officials confirmed Sunday.

This comes after Qala-e-Zal district of the province collapsed to the Taliban on Saturday morning after two days of heavy clashes between the insurgent group and security forces.

The district collapsed after the insurgents carried out a group attack on Aqtepa in Qala-e-Zal, according to officials.

Sayed Mahmoud Danish, a spokesman for the provincial governor confirmed that heavy clashes are ongoing in Charkhab, on the outskirts of Kunduz city, adding that “the security forces  retreated from Qala-e-Zal but clashes are ongoing around the district.”

“The security forces have surrounded the district from different directions,” he said.

Charkhab is a key area which links Kunduz city with Khan Abad district and northern Takhar provinces.

In the meantime, Safiullah Amiri, a member of the provincial council, has warned “we will close our office in the province due to insecurity.”

The clashes started four days ago in Khan Abad and are still ongoing, officials said.

A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed early Sunday that they attacked security forces check posts and took control of one of the check posts.

But the local security forces have not yet confirmed this.

Officials have also not provided details about casualties among either security forces or the Taliban.

Residents are however concerned and said insurgents have increased their attacks in the province in the past few days and are posing security risks along the highways connecting Kunduz city, Khan Abad and Takhar province.

In the past two years, Kunduz city has twice fallen to the Taliban.

Late last month, the Taliban announced the launch of its spring offensive and immediately increased attacks around the country – especially in the northern parts of Afghanistan.