LASHKARGAH (SW): The Taliban continue to engage the government forces in the restive Musa Qala district of southern Helmand province where an aerial operation by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) has reportedly eliminated some 24 armed rebels on Thursday.
Brig. Mohammad Rashul Zazai, Spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA)’s 215-Maiwand Corps has said a total of 38 rebels were hit by the AAF. 24 militants have been reported dead and 14 more wounded, the Spokesman said.
He said the ongoing “Umeed (hope) Operation” in the area has defused tens of mines placed by the rebels in various parts of the district. Brig. Zazai added that one ANA soldier lost his life while one other got wounded fighting the rebels.
The Taliban overrun Musa Qala on 28th August capturing a number of government offices and confiscating huge cache of arms and ammunitions. The government forces took back the control and are now busy cleansing the area of militants, Zazai said.
Parallel operations are also underway in Marja district and other adjacent areas to deny the rebels safe avenues of escape.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on the other hand, claimed to have killed 94 rebels in various ongoing operations across the country in the past 48 hours. According to a communiqué, these operations are underway in Ghazni, Logar, Paktia, Khost, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Daikundi, Farah, Herat, Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul, Takhar and Faryab provinces.
ENDS
