Important Taliban base seized, 6 rebels killed in Nimroz

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): An important base of the Taliban militants has been captured and six rebels killed by Afghan forces during an operation in Khashrod district of southwestern Nimroz province, an official said Saturday.

Provincial deputy police chief, Col. Mohammad Saleh Massoud, told Pajhwok Afghan News that an operation to recaptured lost areas to Taliban was underway in Nimroz province from the past three days.

He said that Razavi and Kandahariha areas of Khashrod district which were under the Taliban control have been recaptured by Afghan forces in the operation.

Six Taliban militants were killed and 14 others wounded as well as a major Taliban base in Razavi area of Khashrod district seized by Afghan forces, Massoud said, adding a bomb making factor, 20 bags of explosives, 20 bombs and a bicycle rigged with explosives also destroyed in the operation.

He said that an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier was also killed in a roadside bombing during the offensive.

However, a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, rejected the claims that Afghan forces captured a Taliban base in Khashrod.

He said 102 Afghan security personnel were killed or injured and 15 military vehicles were destroyed or seized by the Taliban in the past three days.

Three children have been killed and 10 civilians injured as well as a madrasa destroyed by the Afghan forces during their operation, Mujahid said.

Only two Taliban militants were killed and three others wounded during the operation, he said.

But local security officials rejected civilian casualties in the offensives.

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