KABUL (SW): Emerging reports from Paktia, Paktika, Farah, Kunar, Nuristan, Badakhshan and Faryab suggests heavy fighting rages on in these border provinces with hundreds of armed rebels and a number of government forces reported dead.
Maj. Gen. Ali Mast Momand, Security Chief for south eastern Paktika province said 94 armed rebels have been killed in air offensives in the restive Gomal and Waza Khwa districts on Saturday. The Security Chief said Taliban’s shadow district chief Masi Khan was among those targeted by the Afghan Air Force (AAF).
Heavy fighting has been going on in this part of the province for over a week now. Last week, the Taliban on the other hand, claimed to have overrun 7 posts in Waza Khwa.
In neighboring Paktia too, fighting between the Afghan forces, Pakistan’s paramilitary forces and the Taliban continues for the fifth day. About the latest, Abdul Baseer Khpalwak, Spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA)’s 204-Border Zones said more than 70 militants and Pakistani security personnel have been killed in the fighting.
He confirmed the death of 5 ANA men while 8 more have been reported wounded.
In north eastern Nuristan, Kamdesh district was the center of fighting this time. Taliban have claimed on their website that 9 Afghan National Police (ANP) have been killed and 16 more have been critically wounded. The government sources however, claimed 9 rebels have been killed in the clashes.
The district is said to be under the siege by Taliban.
In neighboring Badakhshan Province, Abdullah Naji, Head of Provincial Council, told SW that Taliban launched an attack and have captured part of Raghistan’s bazaar. He said that heavy fighting was still going on between security forces and Taliban.
Meanwhile, Gen. Baba Jan, Provincial Security Chief claimed the Taliban only captured a small part of the district and security forces would soon dislodge them out of the area.
In a statement, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said the clearing operations entering a third day in Raghestan had resulted in the killing of more than 30 Taliban fighters including their top commanders Mullah Muqtader, Maulvi Hujat, Maulvi Abdullah, Maulvi Tajikistani and Mullah Wazir Gul and some foreign fighters.
Raging fighting has also been reported from northern Faryab, Baghlan and south-western Farah provinces,
All in all, the MoI said on Saturday several anti-terrorism joint operations in Takhar, Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul, Jowzjan, Kandahar, Oruzgan, Khost, Paktika, Herat, Ghor and Helmand provinces, saw 51 armed insurgents killed, 24 wounded and 10 others arrested by the Afghan National Security Forces in past 24 hours.
ENDS
