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The Taliban has captured more territory in Afghanistan in recent days from fleeing Afghan forces, as NATO troops continue to pull out of the country, Euronews reports.

Officials said on Sunday that several hundred Afghan security forces fled across the northern border into Tajikistan as Taliban fighters continued to gain momentum, capturing several districts.

Since mid-April, when US President Joe Biden announced the end to Afghanistan's “forever war,” the Taliban have made strides throughout the country.

But their most significant gains have been in the northern half of the country, a traditional stronghold of the US-allied warlords who helped defeat them in 2001.

The Taliban now control roughly a third of all 421 districts and district centers in Afghanistan.

The gains in northeastern Badakhshan province in recent days have mostly come to the insurgent movement without a fight, said Mohib-ul Rahman, a provincial council member.

He blamed Taliban successes on the poor morale of troops who are mostly outnumbered and without resupplies.

“Unfortunately, the majority of the districts were left to Taliban without any fight,” said Rahman. In the last three days, 10 districts fell to Taliban, eight without a fight, he said.

The areas under Taliban control in the north are increasingly strategic, running along Afghanistan's border with central Asian states.