Supported by the public uprising forces, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) on Saturday broke the Taliban’s siege on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri, the center of Baghlan province in the north, and managed to retake District 2 of the city where the two sides had fought some of the fiercest battles in the last seven days.

A senior Afghan security official claimed that the Taliban is making efforts to take military equipment, including tanks, to Pakistan -- as the group continues to take over various districts, security outposts and military bases that house dozens of vehicles, tanks and others.