Officials, Taliban strike ceasefire deal in western Afghanistan, says provincial governor

People on vehicles, holding Taliban flags, gather near the Friendship Gate crossing point in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Chaman, Pakistan July 14, 2021. REUTERS/Abdul Khaliq Achakzai

KABUL (Reuters) -Government officials in a western Afghan province said on Thursday they had negotiated "an indefinite ceasefire" with the Taliban to prevent further attacks on the capital of the province.

The move came after fighters from the Islamist group secured complete control over all the districts in Badghis province, reflecting wider gains by the Taliban over territory and infrastructure in the weeks since U.S. President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops by Sept. 11.