Security forces recapture Kohistan

Monitoring Desk

KUNDUZ: The security forces recaptured Kohistan district in Badakhshan from Taliban, officials said on Sunday. The Taliban had captured Kohistan district headquarters after three days of gunfight on last Friday.

The security forces launched operation to retake the district headquarters, Badakhshan police spokesman Sanaullah Rohani told Afghan Islamic Press. They regained control over the district at around 6 pm, he added.

The Taliban retreated from the district bazaar, he said. However, they looted the shops of edibles while moving back from the district headquarters, he added.

Three police personnel and two pro-government armed uprising volunteers were killed while four volunteers were wounded in the gunfight, he said.

Similarly, he added that 10 Taliban fighters were killed and seven more sustained injuries in the offensive. The operation was in progress outside the district headquarters, he maintained.

Meanwhile, the media office of Afghan National Army (ANA) 20th regiment in north said the ANA troops had recaptured the district headquarters. Currently, offensive was underway outside the district.

The ANA Shaheen military corps in the north said the district has been retaken from Taliban.

However, local residents of Kohistan said gunfight was in progress outside the city. They said they did not know as which side was in control in the district headquarters. Many people had left the district headquarters since the gunfight had started.

On the other side, Taliban said the operation launched to recapture the district had terribly failed. The security forces retreated after facing resistance from Taliban.

The district headquarters and other areas, including Dara Baid, Surkh Lala, Farishtjah and Kalo Khalak were under the control of Taliban, they claimed.

Two commando troops were killed and three more wounded in the offensive, they said.