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PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): Local officials in northern Baghlan province have acknowledged that the restive Dand-i-Ghori area has once again fallen to the Taliban.
Bismillah Atash, a local provincial council member, has told Salam Watandar that the security officials are to be blamed for this emerging situation. He noted that only a month ago the security forces cleared the area of rebels following an operation but the Taliban are now back with a bang.
Atash stressed that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) paid the price of lives to reclaim it from the militants but irresponsibility in terms of safeguarding it has led to the fall yet again. He feared that if situation prevailed, the provincial capital Pul-i-Khumri would soon come under the influence of the rebels.
The authorities however, have not acknowledged it so far.
The Taliban, on the other hand, claimed to have killed some 7 Afghan Local Police (ALP) men and destroyed an armoured vehicle in the area. Reports about Dand-i-Ghori falling to the Taliban have emerged at a time when just recently the neighbouring Dand-i-Shahbudin fell to the rebels.
ENDS
