Taliban among several dead, injured in Kunduz airstrike

Monitoring Desk

KUNDUZ: Multiple Taliban and civilians were killed when a gathering was targeted in an airstrike in Dasht-e-Archi district in northeastern Kuduz province on Monday. Local residents told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) that a ceremony held for the graduates of a religious seminary in Fatanio area in Dasht-e-Archi district was targeted in the airstrike.

Taliban and civilians were attending the ceremony, they said. Both Taliban and civilians suffered casualties in the blitz. According to local residents, about 100 people suffered casualties in the strike.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Afghan Army’s 20th Division in Kunduz stated that a delegation of Taliban’s Shura led by Maulvi Baryan was targeted in the blitz. Maulvi Baryan among 15 Taliban fighters were killed and 10 more wounded in the airstrike, it said.

An official in Kunduz, who wished not to be named, confirmed the strike, saying about 50 Taliban suffered casualties in the blitz.

Officials of Kunduz and Taliban have not said anything formally in this regard so far.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AIP that a graduation ceremony of religious students was targeted in the blitz. He said about 150 civilians were martyred in the strike. The dead included children, he said, adding that even a single Taliban fighter did not exist among the victims, he claimed.