AKIPRESS.COM - Afghanistan's Taliban announced the start of their annual spring offensive Friday, promising to build their political base in the country while focusing military assaults on coalition and Afghan security forces.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced 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.

The Taliban dubbed this year's offensive "Operation Mansouri," named for the Taliban leader killed last year in a U.S. drone strike. The announcement said it will include conventional, guerrilla and suicide attacks, according to the Reuters news agency.

In addition to the Taliban, Afghanistan is battling an emerging local Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) affiliate known as Islamic State in Khorasan.