"The militants are attacking the governor's office and the police headquarters using heavy weapons, there is intense fighting 400 meters from here," Dost Mohammed Nayab said.
On Wednesday, local officials in the southern province warned the Afghan government of an impending fall of Tarinkot to the Taliban after the Islamist movement advanced to within almost one mile from the city, reportedly claiming to have overrun more than a dozen Afghan army outposts.
Afghanistan is experiencing significant political, social and security-related instability, as radical extremist organizations, including the Taliban, continue to stage attacks against civilian and state targets. The Taliban now controls more territory than at any time since 2001, according to the United Nations.