LASHKARGAH (SW): Heavy and intensive fighting between Taliban and the government forces in southern Helmand province have led to multiple casualties on both sides.
The fighting flared up in Helmand’s Naad Ali and Marja districts.
Mohammad Rasul Zazai, spokesman for the 215-Maiwand Corps told Salam Watandar that a clean-up operation was launched in Marja last night that resulted in killing ten rebels and confiscating some 25 landmines. He added that a corresponding operation by the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) led to the death of 3 rebels in Naad Ali.
He claimed that the ANSF faced to casualty in these operations.
The Taliban on the other hand have not stated anything about the developments. Their official website has apparently been hacked by ‘ghost security’.
Security sources however, told Salam Watandar that up to 11 Afghan National Police (ANP) men have lost lives in the Taliban’s attacks in Naad Ali, Nahr-e-Siraj and Shawal districts. The source added that tens of militants stormed check posts and eventually captured a number of them.
Up to 50 ANP men are said be under the siege of the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Umar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor has claimed that the Taliban waged weak attacks but failed to leave a mark or overrun the check posts. He affirmed that the check posts in Nahr-e-Siraj and Naad Ali came under attack last evening.
In a message to the reporters, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman claimed that they killed up to 30 ANP men in the ambush. The government sources however, discard these claims.
ENDS
