FAIZABAD/KUNDUZ CITY/PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): At least 11 militants and two policemen have been killed and 14 border policemen disappeared in separate incidents in Badakhshan, Kunduz and Baghlan provinces, officials said on Saturday.
The 7th border police battalion commander in Badakhshan, Col. Amanullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News seven militants were killed and 13 others injured in a police ambush in the Tirgaran area of Warduj district this morning.
He said an ammunition dump of the militants was destroyed and a machinegun, two Kalashnikovs, a walkie-talkie and some other weapons seized.
A border policeman was also killed, two were injured and 14 others had been missing, Amanullah said, adding it was unclear whether the security personnel had fled to the mountains or had been captured by rebels.
However, an official said on condition of anonymity nine policemen had been taken hostage by the militants while the fate of five others was yet to be known.
On their website, the Taliban claimed repulsing a police attack, killing 12 security personnel and seizing a dozen others. Warduj district fell to the insurgents on October 1.
Elsewhere, four militants were killed in the Chahardara district of northeastern Kunduz province, said Maj. Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, spokesman for the 2nd Afghan National Army (ANA ) brigade.
The fighters were killed on Friday night in shelling by ANA soldiers. Resident Faiq Ahmad alleged the Taliban used civilian houses as trenches and fired from there at the security forces.
He said the militants had stored equipment they had seized in Kunduz City in people’s houses. Ahmad asked the government to clear their area as soon as possible.
Chahardara district was overrun by militants two months ago before it was recaptured by security forces last Wednesday.
According to another report, two policemen were killed in northern Baghlan province. Deputy Director of Public Health Dr. Abdul Halim Ghafari said the two policemen were seriously injured when their pick-up struck a bomb in Hashda Kotal area of Pul-I-Khumri on Friday.
Later, the security personnel succumbed to their injuries in hospital. As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing the policemen and said two others were injured in the incident.
mds/mud
Views: 7