20 security personnel killed in Faryab: Officials

Monitoring Desk

SHEBERGHAN: Twenty security personnel were killed and as many more wounded as Taliban attacked checkpoints of Afghan forces in Qaisar district in Faryab province, officials said on Sunday.

Taliban attacked some security bases and checkpoints in Arkaleek area in the limits of Qaisar district last night, Faryab provincial assembly chairman Abdul Baqi Hashmi told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

Resultantly, he said 20 security personnel were killed and 20 more wounded. The dead and injured included police and pro-government uprising volunteers.

Taliban captured a security base and a checkpoint, he said, adding that information about casualties to Taliban was not available at the moment.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi told AIP that 21 security personnel were killed, 15 more injured and four others captured alive.

Taliban captured a security base and a checkpoint besides seizing multiple weapons and vehicles, he claimed.

A Taliban fighter was killed in the clash, he said. Taliban used laser-guided weapons in the gunfight, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taliban have besieged about 130 security personnel the border with Bala Murghab district of Badghis province over the last few days.

Reliable sources told AIP that the stranded troops tried to enter Turkmenistan. However, the security forces of Turkmenistan did not allow them to cross the border.

The sources said that 70 troops had surrendered before Taliban.

Meanwhile, the Afghan defence ministry said that ground and aerial operation had been launched against Taliban in Bala Murghab district.

Taliban suffered heavy casualties in the offensive.

Taliban retreated from Bala Murghab district, the defence ministry said. The district headquarters had been saved from Taliban threat, the ministry added. (AIP)