KABUL: The Afghan government has imposed a curfew across almost all of the country in a bid to stop the Taliban from invading cities.

Fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces has escalated over the past two months as international troops withdraw from the country, BBC has reported.

The Taliban, which has moved swiftly in the wake of the US withdrawal, retaking border crossings and other territories in rural areas, is estimated to have captured up to half of all territory.

The fundamentalist Islamist militia who were pushed out of power by the US invasion nearly 20 years ago has seized key roads as it seeks to cut off supply routes, the report said.

Its fighters have been closing in on a number of major cities, but have not yet been able to capture one.

(With inputs from BBC)