Taliban fighters have surrounded the city of Ghazni in central Afghanistan, taking over civilians' homes to fight security forces.

In a statement in Kabul, Hassan Rezayi, a member of Ghazni's provincial council said, the offensive was the latest on a provincial capital as Taliban launched fresh attack to gain territory.

He said the ituation in Ghazni city is very critical as the Taliban use civilian houses as hideouts and fire upon the Afghan security forces.

Clashes between the two sides are also continuing in the southern province of Kandahar.

Meanwhile, peace talks between the Taliban and the government have nominally been continuing in Qatar's capital but officials say they are making little progress.