MAIMANA (SW): At least 25 members of a local uprising in the northern Faryab province have been executed by the Taliban on Friday, officials said.
The men were taken hostage by the Taliban a day earlier as the militants overrun Shirin Tagab district’s Astana Baba area. Baryali Bashiryar Parwani, Security Director for the Provincial Police Department has confirmed the incident. He told SW that a number of besieged pro-government militia members have managed to escape.
The fighters were residents of Khwaja Sabzposh district and went into Shirin Tagab to support the government forces.
Local sources told that a pro-government militia commander Fayaq led an army of 80 men to flush militants out of Astana Baba but only managed to escape a live with his 16 fellows and the rest were either killed or captured by the rebels.
On their part, the Taliban said they re-invaded Shirin Tagab after a strategic retreat.
“Mujahideen launched a counter attack after reinforcements arrived, sparking clashes that lasted till early afternoon hours during which Astana Baba region comprising of some 40 villages was completely cleared, forcing the enemy to leave behind 25 corpses after dozens were killed and wounded while over 50 others including a notorious commander – Fayaz – fled to an unknown location”, Taliban said in a statement.
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