Afghanistan's Taliban announced the start of their 'spring' offensive Friday, promising to build their political base in the country while focusing military assaults on coalition and Afghan security forces. 
Taliban announced in a statement the launch of the offensive in an email statement that boasted Taliban control over more than half of the country, referencing a February report issued by Washington's special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction. 
That report said that the Afghan government had control or influence over only 52 percent of Afghanistan's 407 districts last year, down from 63.4 percent previously. 
" This year's Operations will differ from previous ones in nature and will be conducted with a twin-tracked political and military approach," said the statement, without making any mention of peace talks with the government. 
The Taliban were going to begin building institutions in areas under their control, according to the statement.

Source: QNA