Afghan alleged former Taliban fighters carry their weapons before handing them over as part of a government peace and reconciliation process at a ceremony in Jalalabad on February 24, 2016.

:: An Afghan official says Taliban fighters overran a district headquarters in northern Afghanistan after a ferocious fight that left 2 police dead in northern Faryab province.

Abdul Karim Yourish, provincial police chief spokesman, said Sunday the assault on the Lawlash District government headquarters was launched under the cover of darkness late Saturday. Government offices as well as the police headquarters were located inside the compound.

In recent days, Taliban have launched dozens of attacks in northern Afghanistan, temporarily closing a key highway between the capital Kabul and northern Afghanistan. The attacks reflect the Taliban’s efforts to apply pressure on government troops and police across the country and not just in their strongholds in the south and east of Afghanistan.