Afghan forces kill 29 Taliban militants in separate operations
Iran Press TV
Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:51PM GMT
Afghan national security forces have killed twenty-nine Taliban militants and wounded twenty-four others during separate cleanup operations across the country.
"Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) conducted a series of cleanup operations in Ghazni, Herat, Khost, Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, killing twenty Taliban militants and wounding twelve others. Six more armed men were also arrested over the past 24 hours,' the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday.
The statement, however, did not mention whether there were any casualties on the side of Afghan forces.
Moreover, Afghan police forces killed seven Taliban members and wounded 12 others during heavy clashes in the Kushki Kuhna District of the western province of Herat on Friday.
On Saturday, two Taliban gunmen were also killed and a policeman suffered injuries, when the Taliban stormed a police checkpoint in Chardara District of the northern Kunduz province.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.
In late April, the Taliban announced the start of their annual "offensive" against US-led and Afghan forces, vowing a new wave of attacks across Afghanistan.
The militant group said it would use 'every possible tactic' to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces. They specifically mentioned insider attacks and bomb attacks.
The announcement prompted the Afghan authorities to beef up security in major cities across the country, including the capital city of Kabul.
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