Monitoring Desk
KANDAHAR: Kandahar police on Thursday claimed 50 Taliban gunmen were killed during operations in Maiwand and Panjwayee districts. The Afghan defense, however, put the Taliban death toll at 20.
The personnel of special units of National Directorate of Security (NDS) engaged Taliban groups in Band-e-Taimour area of Maiwand district and bordering Reg area of Panjwayee district, killing 50 gunmen and wounding 20 others, said Abdul Raziq, police chief of Kandahar province.
He told AIP that the Taliban had made preparations for massive attacks on security forces, adding 50 four-wheelers and 35 motorcycles were also destroyed in the operation.
The provincial police chief said several Taliban fighters were also detained along with numerous vehicles.
General Daulat Waziri, spokesman of Afghan defense ministry, put the Taliban death toll at 20, saying three suicide bombers were among the dead.
Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi confirmed the operation to AIP, saying numerous government troops were killed and wounded in the ensuing clash. The special forces backed by foreign forces’ air support were engaged by Taliban in the Band-e-Taimour area, he said.
“Afghan and foreign forces killed around 30 civilians, destroyed numerous houses and vehicles of civilians. The Taliban attacks killed 14 special troops and wounding several others. Their three vehicles were also destroyed,” Ahmadi claimed.
He would not say if there were any casualties to the Taliban. there was no independent confirmation of the casualties in Maiwand operation.
Two IDLG officials held on graft charges: The personal of National Directorate of Security (NDS) arrested two officials of Independent Directorate of Local Governance on graft charges in western Herat province, officials said Thursday.
The IDLG sent a delegation to Herat province few days ago to investigate the affairs of municipal department, said Masud Azizi, spokesman of Herat municipal department.
He, however, said two members of the delegation were held by officials of municipality department and NDS personnel on charges of accepting $13000 bribe.
Both the officials were under interrogation, he said without disclosing names of the accused.
Some sources said beside the two members, head of the probe team was also arrested and being questioned by the NDS personnel.
The IDLG confirmed in a statement that two members of their delegation were arrested while taking $13000 bribe in Herat.
It said the IDLG was conducting investigations to arrest all the people in the case.
