Militants kill ANA commander in Nuristan

JALALABAD/ASADABAD (PAN): The commander of 1st battalion of the 201st Selab military corps was killed on Sunday in a militant attack in the eastern province of Nuristan, officials said.

The attack happened at 5 am when militants fired two missiles on the Afghan National Army (ANA) battalion at the Kalagosh area of Noorgram district of Nuristan, said Dr. Mahruddin, the town’s administrative head.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that Col. Sher Zaman Waziri was killed, three other military officials and a soldier were wounded when a missile landed inside the ANA’s base.

The governor Tamim Nuristani confirmed the attack, saying the battalion was from neighbouring Laghman province.

The military corps spokesperson Col. Noman Hatifi refused to comment on the incident.

In an unrelated incident, deputy head of the Operational Coordination Center Provincial (OCCP) was killed in a militant attack in the Qamchi area of Watapur district in neighbouring Kunar province.

Col. Arif Nizami Nizami was travelling to Asadabad, the provincial capital, when Taliban attacked him — killing his son and Nizami and a student, said police spokesman for Kunar, 2nd Lt. Sher Wali.

The injured were brought to Kunar Civil Hospital and their condition said to be stable, a doctor on duty, Faridullah, said.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack and said they inflicted casualties on several policemen.

myn/vp