FARAH CITY/ KABUL (SW): Scores of armed rebels equipped with automatic rifles and other arms and ammunition have been fighting government forces for days to overrun Khak-e-Safaid district in Farah and Dand-e-Patan district in Paktia.
Military officials in south western Farah province said on Sunday hundreds of militants were fighting with government forces since last four days in a bid to overrun the Khak-e-Safaid district.
Abdul Rauf Rahmani, Spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA) in Farah told SW the government forces were fighting the rebels with zeal. According to Rahmani, 19 armed militants have been killed and 27 more wounded in joint operation conducted by the government forces.
He added that the Taliban have threatened the locals to evacuate their homes in the wake of intense fighting. The ANA Spokesman said so far one ANA man and two Afghan National Police (ANP) men have got injured in the fighting.
The government forces face similar situation in south eastern Paktia province.
Abdul Baseer Khpalwak, Spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA)’s 204-Border Zones said on Sunday Pakistani paramilitary personnel were fighting alongside the Taliban against Afghan forces in Dand-e-Patan. He alleged the rebels were being supplied arms and ammunition by Pakistani forces via air and ground.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said on its part several join clean-up operations were conducted in Kunduz, Jowzjan, Kandahar, Oruzgan, Khost, Paktika, Herat, Farah and Helmand provinces, as a result 153 armed insurgents were killed, 69 wounded and one was arrested.
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