KABUL, MAIMANA, JALALABAD (SW): As conflicting reports about split in the ranks of Taliban over leadership emerge, more than 100 armed militants and around 20 men from the security forces have been confirmed dead by officials in the past 36 hours.
There has been no respite in the fighting as the security forces take the advancing militants head on various fronts across the country.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Saturday reclaimed Helmand’s Nauzaad district back from the Taliban. The district was overrun by the Taliban two days ago. Units of the Afghan National Army (ANA), Afghan National Police (ANP), National Directorate for Security (NDS) and the Air Force inflicting heavy losses on the armed militants, the MoD claimed.
Earlier on Friday, Mirza Khan Rahimi Governor of Helmand said some 50 rebels were killed and many more wounded. This operation was headed by Gen. Abdul Raziq, the Security Chief of neighbouring Kandahar province.
Qari Mohammad Yousef Ahmadi, the Taliban spokesman have dismissed the reports and claimed the district remained in their control. Fighting in Nauzaad left at least 12 security forces dead, the governor said.
The MoD has claimed to have eliminated a total of 127 rebels across the country on various fronts in the past 48 hours. 16 armed rebels have been reported dead by the Ministry of Interior (MoI)
Reports emerging from the north suggest intensive fighting was going on in the restive Faryab province. Subhanqul Ibrahimi, spokesman for the provincial police department has said 34 rebels have been killed in Almaar, Qiasaar and Garziwan districts.
He said Mullah Muhibullah, Taliban's shadow police chief and his commandars Mawlawi Khan Agha and Mullah Abdul Halim have been killed in the recent fighting.
The ANA launched a clean-up operation in Faryab following a suicide attack that claimed the lives of more than 20 people in a market place.
In the east, similar operation has been launched in the restive Khogyani, Hisarak and Shirzad districts on Saturday. The 201-Corp of the ANA said today that infighting among the militants in these parts of the country was creating grave security threats for the people.
Meanwhile, Mullah Yaqub, son of the late Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Omar has reportedly expressed his opposition to Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, the newly declared Taliban “Emir”. Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi has been quoted saying by the BBC that those who elected Mullah Mansour had not followed the rules.
"According to Islamic rule and principles, when a leader dies, a Shura (council) is called, then its leader is appointed," he said.
ENDS
