Afghanistan: Taliban militants kill top media officer

Taliban militants have termed the assassination of Dawa Khan Menapal as "punished for his deeds".

Dawa Khan - the director of Afghanistan's media and information centre - was killed in a Taliban attack in the capital Kabul.

According to media reports, Dawa Khan Menapal was killed by gunmen on Darul Aman Road in the capital, reports said.

The Taliban has escalated it attack in recent weeks and reports claim that southern city of Zaranj has become the first provincial capital to fall to the Taliban.

Recently Taliban assaulted the defence minister's home in Kabul. Taliban has warned of more such attacks in near future.

BBC reports: The UN Security Council has called an open meeting for Friday on the situation in Afghanistan amid worsening violence.

Taliban militants have captured large swathes of the countryside and are now attacking key cities.