Afghan forces kill over 100 Taliban militants

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Afghan forces on Saturday thwarted multiple coordinated assaults on security checkpoints across the country killing over 100 Taliban militants, the Defense Ministry said.

According to a ministry statement, 45 Taliban were killed in a bid to overrun Farah city bordering Iran.

Sixteen security personnel were killed in the clashes, the ministry said.

Separately, 20 Taliban militants were killed in northern Farah province bordering Uzbekistan, 15 in northeastern Badakhshan province, 19 in eastern Ghazni province and 11 in Paktika province bordering Pakistan’s restive tribal belt in the past 24 hours.

Also, 23 Daesh militants were killed in northeastern Nangarhar province.

The Taliban claimed to have killed 27 security personnel besides destroying and seizing a large cache of arms and vehicles in Farah as part of the annual spring offensives.

In another development, Mohammad Iqbal, police spokesman in Ghor province, told Anadolu Agency, the Taliban managed to enter Shahrak district, but efforts are underway to reclaim the area. Confirming casualties on both sides, he said the exact figures are not known yet.

The attacks come as Taliban launched their annual spring offensive dubbed ‘al-Khandaq’ (trench) in late April.