Taliban militants seize Maidan Shar city, west of Afghan capital: spokesman

KABUL -- The Afghan Taliban militants seized Maidan Shar, capital of Wardak province, on Sunday, a Taliban spokesman said.

Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on social media that the insurgents captured the city, 35 km west of Afghanistan's capital Kabul, after government forces retreated to Kabul.

The Taliban's claim can not be verified so far.

The Taliban earlier captured Torkham, a key bordering point in Nangarhar province, bordering Pakistan, and took control of Nangarhar's provincial capital Jalalabad city, with no battles or clashes early Sunday.

Some local sources in Khost city, capital of eastern Khost province, claimed that part of the city fell to Taliban early Sunday.