13 soldiers killed, 8 wounded in Kandahar clash

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): At least 13 Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers have been killed and eight others wounded during a clash with Taliban militants in southern Kandahar province, officials said on Thursday.

The governor’s spokesman, Samim Khpalwak, told Pajhwok Afghan News the clash took place when hundreds of militants stormed ANA posts in the Jagram area of Maiwand district at midnight.

The battle continued for several hours but the Taliban faced strong retaliation from the soldiers, the gubernatorial spokesman said, adding the militants suffered heavy casualties in the firefight.

Khpalwak did not have specific casualty figures for the Taliban, who managed to shift the fighters’ bodies from the area. Three ANA soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in the incident, he said.

But a credible official based in district, requesting anonymity, confirmed to Pajhwok that 13 soldiers were killed and eight others wounded. The source said hundreds militants were involved in the attack.

Eight militants were also killed and 23 others wounded in the clash, the source added. Pajhwok tried to contact the 205^th Atal Military Corps for comment about the incident, but failed.

Taliban have not yet commented on the clash. The Security situation has deteriorated and casualties among Afghan forces have been high in Kandahar province in recent past.

Two days back, 10 ANA soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in a Taliban attack in the Shah Walikot district of Kandahar.

mds/mud