Afghan defence ministry said that 69 Taliban fighters had been killed. Qala-e-Naw was first provincial capital to see an all-out assault by the Taliban

Afghan defence ministry said on Thursday that the government forces had wrested back control of a provincial capital city from the Taliban

The ministry said that some fighting was continuing on the outskirts of Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis province. This province borders Turkmenistan.

Insurgents had on Wednesday seized key government buildings in the city including police headquarters as part of a dramatic Taliban advance unfolding as foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan after a 20-year-long intervention.

“The city is fully (back) under our control and we are conducting operations against the Taliban on the outskirts of the city,” Defence Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman said.

The ministry said that 69 Taliban fighters had been killed. Qala-e-naw was first provincial capital to see an all-out assault by the Taliban.

A large quantity of Taliban arms and ammunition was also seized by government forces, the ministry said on Twitter.

The rest of Badghis province is in Taliban hands. Western security officials say the Taliban have captured more than 100 districts in Afghanistan; the Taliban say they hold over 200 districts in 34 provinces comprising over half the country. Main cities and provincial capitals remain under government control.