[LongWarJournal] The Taliban continues to press its offensive on multiple fronts in the Afghan north, taking control of Kohistanat district in the once calm province of Sar-i-Pul after a police commander and his officers defected to the jihadist group. According to the Taliban, its forces "raised the white flag of [the] Islamic Emirate" over the district headquarters and other government buildings earlier today.The Taliban overran Kohistanat after launching its assault on July 26. The fall of the northern district was confirmed by a member of Sar-i-Pul's provincial council, a police spokesman, and the Taliban.
Both Afghan officials and the Taliban said that a local police commander and his officers defected to the Taliban at the opening of the fighting. An "Afghan Local Police [ALP] officer together with seven of his men joined [the] Taliban," Khaama Press reported. The ALP officer had previously been linked to the Taliban, a police spokesman said. According to a Taliban statement released on Voice of Jihad, "a key Arbaki commander -- Hassan -- made contact and joined up with Mujahideen along with 100 fully armed men" on July 26. Arbaki are local tribal militias that often back the government in its fight against the Taliban.
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