MEHTARLAAM (SW) – Army Chief Gen. Yaseen Zia vowed to have pushed out the Taliban from the surroundings of Mehtarlam, capital city of Laghman province.
Last night, Taliban fighters attacked the central prison and the surrounding area in Mehtarlam, the provincial capital.
Gen. Mohammad Yaseen Zia has been leading the fighting in the city of Mehtarlam. He is joined by Gen. Khoshul Sadat, deputy chief of operations for the National Directorate of Security.
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According to the army chief the security forces have been advancing and the security situation in the province was under the control. He said the Taliban attack on the capital of Laghman province has been repulsed. He said the situation in Laghman was caused due to technical and propaganda problems, but with the arrival of new forces, the situation has improved.
He said the security forces are in-charge at the Mehtarlam and Alingar main road. According to the Chief of Staff of the Afghan National Army, the security of the city of Mehtarlam has been ensured and there are no concerns now.
Meanwhile, Laghman Governor Rahmatullah Yarmal has said the situation in Mehtarlam city and districts is improving with the arrival of new troops. The governor of Laghman assured the residents of the province that the situation has changed with the arrival of new forces and they should not worry.
Rahmatullah Yarmal added that the Taliban had suffered heavy casualties as a result of the security forces’ operation and that operations were currently underway in Alishang and Alingar districts.
The Ministry of Defense said in a press release that 50 Taliban insurgents were killed and 60 others were wounded last night in air and ground operations by security forces in parts of Laghman province.
The Taliban have not yet commented.
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