Fighting reported in 80 districts

KABUL (Tolo News): Fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban continued in at least 80 districts across the country in the past 24 hours, security sources told TOLOnews. According to the sources, over 100 Taliban fighters and 90 security force members were killed during this period. Neither the Taliban nor the government has provided numbers of casualties.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Dawlatabad district of Faryab is switching hands between the Taliban and the security forces and both sides are claiming control. Officials at the Ministry of Defense said that security forces have retaken control of the center of Khanabad district in Kunduz province. The center of Khanabad district fell to the Taliban two days ago.
“Including Qari Hashem, 20 of his fighters were killed and wounded. The district is completely under the control of the security and defense forces,” said Farid Mashal, Kunduz’s police commander. “Javin district has collapsed, our sisters and brothers have been martyred, the entire people in Farah and Iranian Sepah are involved in the war,” said MP Abdul Sattar Hussaini. “If the central government does not focus on Farah, there will be a human tragedy,” said Dadullah Qane, the head of Farah’s provincial council.
A member of the Kunduz provincial council said that at least five civilians were killed including women and children and 20 more wounded as a result of airstrikes by security forces in the Dawra area of Khanabad. “In areas around Sardawra in Khanabad, airstrikes were carried out on the people’s homes,” said Fawzia Yaftali, the secretary of the Kunduz provincial council. Fierce fighting was also reported in Dawlatabad district of Kunduz. Reports say a number of security forces remain under siege by the Taliban in Oba district of Kunduz.
In Ghazni province there are reports that a military helicopter used by the Afghan National Army was hit by the Taliban. “As a result of fighting between the Taliban and security forces, unfortunately, 15 commandos and members of the National Army were martyred,” said Abdul Ahad Bek, member of Faryab’s provincial council. Lawmakers from Farah province in the Parliament said that the casualties among the security forces in Lashjawin, Anar Dara and Poshtrod districts of Farah total about 100 people killed. They say 50 soldiers were taken hostage by the Taliban. “These cowards who are sitting in the centers pledged us to send aid, but they did not do it until the last minute,” said MP Humayoun Shaheedzada.
Meanwhile, Afghan security forces retook the center of Khan Abad district in northern Kunduz province on Wednesday morning, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Wednesday. The clearing operation was launched by the security forces and “this morning the forces retook the center of the district,” it said.
Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said: “Qari Hashem, a Taliban commander who was leading the war in the district, has been killed with his 30 fighters during the operation.” The Taliban has not yet commented on the operation. The center of the district has repeatedly switched hands in close fighting over the past several days, according to sources.
Fawzia Yaftali, a member of the provincial council, said that at least five civilians were killed–including women and children–and 20 others, also including women and children, were wounded during the clashes in the district.
“The preliminary reports indicate that the civilians were killed and wounded in firing from Afghan air forces,” she said. The Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on civilian casualties caused by the operation.