Afghan forces and members of the public uprising forces retook Kiran Wa Manjan district of the northeastern province of Badakhshan on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed.

Taliban have suffered heavy losses in the operation by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and the public uprising forces, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Fawad Aman, said.

The operation to retake the district was launched with the support of Abdul Malik, a public uprising forces commander, Mr. Aman said.

Kiran Wa Manjan houses big deposits of lapis lazuli.

In less than a week, the Afghan forces have retaken Yumgan and Wardooj districts of the province which fell to the Taliban four years ago.