In the operations launched on Wednesday afternoon, a large number of arms and ammunitions as well as four motorbikes were also destroyed…reports Asian Lite News
A total of 23 militants were killed and three others injured as Afghan government forces stormed Taliban hideouts in Pashtunkot and Almar districts of Faryab province, an army spokesman said on Thursday.
In the operations launched on Wednesday afternoon, a large number of arms and ammunitions as well as four motorbikes were also destroyed, the official said.
According to the official, the government forces will continue to pursue the militants elsewhere in the restive province, Xinhua news agency reported.
Taliban militants are reportedly in control of major parts of Faryab province and have been fighting to overrun the provincial capital Maimana city.
In a similar development, at least 10 Taliban militants were killed as fighting flared up in Taluqan city, capital of Takhar province, on Thursday, a local police spokesman said.
The clash, according to the official, erupted after the Taliban fighters attacked security checkpoints in the city’s Sarai Sang area, triggering a gun battle.
Three security personnel have also been killed in the fighting. Five more militants and two security personnel have been injured, the official further said.
Taliban attempt to capture Herat
Fighting in Afghanistan has further intensified as Taliban militants have started attacking to gain more ground in Herat province and tighten the noose around the provincial capital Herat city.
The militants have launched an offensive against security checkpoints in the tourist destination of Pul-e-Malan area, Karakh and Gazara districts on Wednesday afternoon while the attacks have been repulsed, a provincial government official told Xinhua news agency on Thursday.
“Taliban had military activities last night but their attempts have been beaten back and about 40 militants were killed in Gazara and Karakh districts. Unfortunately, four security personnel sustained injuries in Pul-e-Malan area,” the official added.
Farhad also confirmed that sporadic fighting is still going on in parts of the said areas.
Taliban militants, who have captured the dry port Islam Qala and Torghundi in Herat province, have been fighting to overrun Herat city.
The Islam Qala Customs department, which connects Afghanistan to Iran as the main trade crossing point, is yet to be recaptured by Afghanistan forces.
The armed group has also ruled Torghundi dry port along the border with Turkmenistan since its fall to the Taliban last month.
Taliban militants have overrun some 200 districts since the US-led forces started to pull out from Afghanistan in early May.
It will be regarded as a big achievement for the Taliban if the group captures Herat city, local observers said.
Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammad said that government forces would soon launch counter-offensives to recapture all the districts from the Taliban outfit.
More than 200 militants, according to security officials, have been killed elsewhere in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours.
The claim was rejected by the Taliban as baseless.