Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor in northern Balkh province, said the Taliban attacked the city from several directions setting off heavy fighting on its outskirts. There was no immediate word on casualties. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had flown to Mazar-e-Sharif on Wednesday to rally the city s defenses, meeting with several militia commanders allied with the government.
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The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.