LASHKARGAH (SW): The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) managed to recapture the restive Khanashin district overrun by the Taliban militants a day earlier.
As many as 41 Afghan National Police (ANP) men got killed in the militants’ attack on the district on Thursday night. Umar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor said on Sunday that the ANSF have retaken the district from the rebels. Eye witnesses told Salam Watandar that the rebels have torched the district administration office as well as the district police headquarters.
Zwak added that more than 20 armed rebels have been killed and 15 more wounded while 41 policemen died and 9 more got wounded in the clashes. He rejected reports about the fall of the district. “The Afghan forces went on a tactical retreat and have launched a massive operation to reclaim the areas, and have inflicted heavy casualties upon the armed rebels”, he said.
The spokesman added that the ANSF has been directed to ensure lasting peace in the district. He noted that the Afghan forces have a sustainable aerial support of the NATO forces for the past some days now.
Meanwhile, Bashir Ahmad Shakir, head of the security committee at the provincial council said that the law and order situation in a number of northern and southern districts is worrisome. He told Salam Watandar that Naad Ali, Marja and Garmsir districts are faced with serious security challenges.
He feared if the government paid no serious attention, more districts might fall to the Taliban. “This is the third time that Khanashin fell to the rebels and was reclaimed, we warned that an attack was bound to take place but the security organs did not hear us”, he lamented.
Located at a distance of some 220 kilometers from the provincial capital Lashkargah, Khanashin is located close to the Durand Line with Pakistan.
ENDS
