At least 102 members of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were killed in 24 hours alone in several Taliban attacks across the country, according to officials’ accounts.
The deadliest clash between Afghan forces and Taliban erupted in Daimirdad district of central Wardak province on Sunday night after the militant group reportedly captured the district center.
Abdul Waheed Akbarzai, secretary of provincial council, told media that Taliban fighters stormed the district governor office and police headquarters on Sunday night, killing 68 national army personnel and wounding a number of others. He said that he had obtained the casualty number from a security forces commander in the area. Akbarzai says the district center is now under the government control.
However, another member of Wardak provincial council, Sharifullah Hotak says the Taliban have completely overrun Daimirdad district, but he puts the death toll at 41. The duo claimed Taliban also suffered casualty but neither provided the exact number.
In a separate incident in Kunduz province, 15 members of Public Order Police were killed in Taliban attacks on their posts in strategic Dasht-e-Archi district.
A security official, wishing anonymity, told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants launched attacks on police check-posts in Bandar area of the district at midnight.
He said 15 policemen were killed and 18 others wounded as a result of the clashes. The militants took away weapons and ammunition, the source revealed.
Mohammad Yousaf Ayubi, the provincial council chief, said 40 security personnel were killed in the Dasht-e-Archi clashes. He expressed deep concern over the rebels seizing weapons.
In addition, 13 Afghan Local Police (ALP) personnel and four Taliban have been killed during clashes in the Dara-e-Sauf Payeen district of northern Samangan province, an official said on Monday.
Abdul Yaqeen Ahmadi, the district’s governor, told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants stormed ALP check-posts in Zeraki locality of the district late on Sunday night.
He said 13 ALP men and four Taliban were killed and five policemen and four fighters wounded in the overnight attack.
Mullah Hamza, an uprising group member and a resident of the area, confirmed the district chief’s statement and said around 200 insurgents attacked the security check-posts and later torched them.
This comes as Taliban took over 8 Afghan forces outposts in capital of northern Sar-e-Pul province. Asadullah Khurram, a member of the provincial council, told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants attacked the security forces in the Bilghi area of the city. He said the assailants captured eight check-posts of the Afghan army, police and a public uprising group.
Khurram criticized the government for dispatching reinforcements very late as, on the way to the site, they came under Taliban’s ambush. The New York Times in a report said five members of Afghan forces were killed during the clashes.
In another upheaval, the Taliban on Monday captured the Khumab district of northern Jawzjan province after 24 hours of clashes with security forces, local official said.
Police chief Brig. Gen Faqeer Mohammad Jawzjani told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants stormed the district at 4:00pm on Sunday and the firefight lasted until yesterday morning.
Unaware of casualty figures, the police official said security forces were doing their best to recapture the district.
Over 100 ANDSF members killed in last 24 hours
