GARDEZ/ SHARANA (SW): Cross-border shelling by Pakistan’s paramilitary forces combined with an assault by the armed rebels on Afghan Border Force (ABF) posts in south eastern Paktia province has claimed the life of one security man and eight more have been wounded, an official said on Tuesday.
Maj. Gen. Abdul Basir Khpalwak, Commander of the 406 Border Corps in Paktia said the fighting erupted in Patan district on Monday and was still going on. He told SW that so far some 25 rebels have been killed. Maj. Gen. Khpalwak claimed Pakistan’s paramilitary force was directly involved in attacking Afghanistan’s security check posts.
The Border Force Commander said ground and aerial support have been sent to assist the ABF men in Patan district.
The Taliban on the other end, claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the government forces in the area.
Earlier on Tuesday, a joint operation by the government forces killed over 50 rebels and wounded 80 more in the neighboring Paktika province, an official said. The provincial government spokesman said the fighting took place in the restive Waza Khwaka.
Nabiullah Pirkhail, the spokesman said over 30 landmines have also been removed in the operation. He confirmed the death of 4 Afghan National Police (ANP) and six Afghan National Army (ANA) men.
In his opinion, the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and ANP have strategically withdrawn from some of the check posts in the area.
The Taliban on the other hand, claimed to have overrun 7 posts in Waza Khwa in the three-day long operation.
As many as 32 joint ‘enemy troops’ including ANA, ANP and Arbakis (ALP) have been killed and 58 more wounded in the fighting over the last three days, while 6 military tanks and 5 armored fighting vehicles are said to have been destroyed in the operation, Taliban claimed.
Taliban said only three of their companion have died in the fighting. The rebels have also claimed to have overrun a check post in Khas Uruzgan, provincial capital of the southern Uruzgan province by killing 7 security forces.
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