Anti-government militants took over the control of a far-flung district in southern Uruzgan province Tuesday night but evacuated Wednesday morning after setting on fire the district building, provincial police chief Rozi Khan confirmed.

"Hundreds of Taliban militias attacked on Chori district last night and took its control till morning while the police evacuated the district building," Khan told Xinhua.

Khan also confirmed that Taliban fighters are still roaming around and the government troops will soon launch a mop-up to clean the area from the militants.

The militias set on fire the district building and torched four cars before retreating Wednesday morning, he added.

It is the first time that militants captured a district by force.

On the other hand, Taliban sources said that their fighters killed 12 policemen in the operation and took away 40 others.

Rozi Khan rejected the claim and said the 40 policemen, who were hiding from the militants' attack, have returned to their posts.

Taliban-linked militancy have claimed the lives of more than 400 people including five foreigners over the past two weeks, bringing the number of casualties to some 700 this year.

Source: Xinhua