8 private guards, 5 Taliban killed in Ghazni

GHAZNI (PAN were killed in a firefight in the Larma village of the Maqur district of southern Ghazni province late Saturday, a local official said on Sunday.

Col. Baraktullah, the Maqur district police chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the clash erupted after the Taliban attacked a logistics convoy escorted by a private security company. He said that eight guards and five fighters were killed and that six others, including two guards, were wounded in the skirmish, which lasted an hour. 

Larma Village is located on the Kabul-Kandahar Highway and is surrounded by trees and gardens, which affords attackers many places to hide.

A Larma resident said the fierce fighting between the Taliban and the private guards blocked the Kabul-Kandahar Highway for nearly two hours.

Another resident of the area, Ahmad Khan, who was driving a taxi from Larma village to Ghazni City, said that he saw several dead and injured in the area.

The road was also stained with blood in some places and hats and shoes were littered on the road, he added, saying that a number of company vehicles were riddled with bullets.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Pajhwok Afghan News that eight private security guards were killed and 12 others injured in the fight, but denied that Taliban fighters suffered any caualties.

He added that several vehicles were also destroyed and some weapons and ammunition were siezed.

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