Taliban capture Farah’s Anardara district

Monitoring Desk

HERAT: Taliban fighters captured the Andardara district of western Farah province, officials confirmed Monday.

The Taliban fighters attacked the Anardara district last night and were able to enter the district headquarters compound after seven hours of intense fighting this morning, informed sources told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

The sources said both the government forces and Taliban gunmen suffered heavy casualties, adding the Taliban were in control of the district centre till the filing of this report.

Farid Bakhtawar, chairman of Farah’s provincial council, confirmed the fall of the district to Taliban, saying preliminary reports suggested 15 security men were killed in fighting with Taliban.

He told AIP that the Taliban seized the district headquarters compound and police headquarters while fighting continued for the control of National Direct-orate of Security (NDS) department’s compound.

Spokesman of Farah governor, Naser Mehri, also confirmed the fall of the district but was short of further details. Nasrat Rahimi, dep-uty spokesman of interior m-inistry, denied reports that the district fell to the Taliban.

He said the security forces had retreated after the attack and engaged the Taliban after several hours, adding bodies of 14 Taliban were lying at the site of the clash while another 23 sustained injuries.

Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi claimed their fighters seized the Anardara district centre.

Afghan commando forces commander, Juma Hasanyar, among 15 security men were killed and four vehicles were seized by the Taliban besides capturing the district centre.

The Taliban also killed 18 security men including command troops in the Bala Balok district of the same province two days ago as they recently increased attacks and kept mum over President Ghani’s unconditional talks offer.