58 die in fresh clashes between Taliban, Afghan forces

KABUL (AA): At least 36 members of the Afghan security forces and 22 Taliban rebels have been killed in fresh clashes in the country’s north, officials and local media confirmed Tuesday.

The renewed fighting coincides with a two-day round of peace talks now underway in Moscow between Taliban representatives and several Afghan officials (not affiliated with the Kabul government).

Safiullah Amiri, deputy chairman of the provincial assembly of Kunduz province on the border with Tajikistan, told Anadolu Agency that the rebels had overrun a number of checkpoints manned by army, police and pro-government militiamen late Monday.

Amiri confirmed that 36 security personnel had been killed — and at least 20 more injured — in the attacks.

The Afghan Defense Ministry, for its part, said the Taliban assault in Kunduz had been repulsed.

“The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces repelled the enemy attack in the Khwaja Pak and Taloka areas on the outskirts of Kunduz city last night at around 1:00 a.m. [local time],” read a ministry statement.

At least 22 rebels were killed and another 18 injured, the ministry added, going on to note that a number of security personnel had been “martyred” in the fighting.

Similar rebel attacks reportedly occurred in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province, where, according to local Azadi Radio, as many as 10 security personnel were killed in coordinated assaults by the Taliban.

Claiming credit for both onslaughts, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said in a statement that four checkpoints had been completely overrun.

Mujahed added that at least 40 Afghan forces had been killed in Kunduz and Baghlan.