Afghan Authorities prepared to try to retake a key Border crossing seized by the Taliban in a sweeping offensive that the insurgents claim has helped capture a vast swath of the violence-wracked Nation.

As US Troops continued their withdrawal, the Taliban said its fighters had seized two crossings in Western Afghanistan -- completing an arc of territory from the Iranian Border to the frontier with China.

It now held 85 percent of the country, a Taliban official said, controlling about 250 of Afghanistan's nearly 400 Districts -- a claim impossible to independently verify, and disputed by the government.

On Friday Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said their fighters had captured the border town of Islam Qala on the Iranian Frontier and the Torghundi crossing with Turkmenistan.

Herat Governor spokesman Jilani Farhad said Saturday the authorities were deploying fresh troops to retake Islam Qala post, the biggest trade crossing between Iran and Afghanistan.