City of Sheberghan is long-time stronghold of warlord, ex-Afghan vice president, leading figure in anti-Taliban alliance, Abdul Rashid Dostum KABUL: Taliban fighters on Friday claimed to have taken control of an Afghan provincial capital considered a key gateway to the country’s northern and northeastern regions. The city of Sheberghan, in Jowzjan province, reportedly became the group’s latest territorial gain following an intensification of clashes between the Taliban and government forces since US-led military accelerated troop withdrawals from Afghanistan. The Taliban have continued to capture districts and border crossings in the country’s north and west. Sheberghan has long been the seat of power for one of Afghanistan’s factional leaders, Abdul Rashid Dostum, a warlord, former vice president, and one of the main figures in the anti-Taliban alliance. Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told Arab News: “The mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate by seizure of entrances of Sheberghan, capital city of Jowzjan, arrived in Sheberghan today.” He said fighters loyal to Dostum and government troops had fled toward Sheberghan’s airport. While government officials declined to comment, an official source in Jowzjan confirmed to Arab News that the city had fallen following a three-pronged attack. But a pro-Dostum lawmaker, Mohammed Karim Jowzjani, told Arab News the Taliban were still on the outskirts of Sheberghan and that fighting continued to take place. “The fighting is intense there. If Sheberghan falls, then two other provinces in its neighborhood will also fall and the Taliban will have an upper hand in the whole region,” he said. He added that Dostum, who left Afghanistan for Turkey after the Taliban began their onslaughts in the northern region in early May, was expected to return to the country. Since the launch of their attacks, the Taliban have captured scores of districts and a number of key border crossings with Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, largely due to the surrender of government forces. Meanwhile, a convoy of government troops heading to recapture the Spin Boldak crossing with Pakistan was on Friday ambushed by the Taliban. A group of army soldiers and an award-winning Indian journalist traveling with them were killed in the attack. Danish Siddiqui was a photojournalist with Reuters and had been in Kandahar to cover the fighting. Reuters confirmed his death.