Military officials in Kandahar claimed Tuesday that foreign militants are fighting alongside the Taliban in the province against government forces.
According to the officials, evidence shows that al-Qaeda, Pakistani and Chechen insurgents were colluding with the Taliban in the four-month war in the Arghandab district of Kandahar.
Meanwhile, local officials say that security forces have conducted wide clearance operations in the province to retake the areas collapsed to the Taliban, especially in the Arghandab district.
A number of families, who have been displaced in Kandahar due to the clashes, stated that the war has made their lives miserable.
The Taliban have not commented yet.
The Defense Ministry on Monday said that at least ten Taliban fighters including four Pakistani nationals were killed during an operation in the Arghistan district of the province last night.
A Taliban spokesman, however, denied the report, stating that no Pakistani national are fighting alongside the group in the district.
The comments come at a time while in the past the United Nations and the Afghan government have repeatedly said that the Taliban continue to work with Al-Qaeda. However, according to the US-Taliban agreement, the group must end its ties with Al-Qaeda.
