Kabul: The Taliban captured Afghanistan’s main border crossing with Tajikistan, officials said on Tuesday, with security forces abandoning their posts and some fleeing across the frontier, the Aljazeera reported. 

The seizure of Shir Khan Bandar, in the far north of Afghanistan, about 50 kilometres from Kunduz city, is the most significant gain for the Taliban since the US began the final stage of its troop withdrawal in May, reports said.

“Unfortunately this morning and after an hour of fighting the Taliban captured Shir Khan port and the town and all the border check posts with Tajikistan,” an official was quoted saying.

Separately, an army officer, said “We were forced to leave all check posts […] and some of our soldiers crossed the border into Tajikistan, added reports.

“By the morning, they (Taliban fighters) were everywhere, hundreds of them,” he added.

Amruddin Wali, another provincial council member, was quotes saying officials “lost contact” with the area on Monday night.

The crossing is marked by a 700-metre US-funded bridge that opened in 2007 with the aim of boosting trade between the central Asian neighbours. (Aljazeera)