80 Taliban killed as Afghan forces wrest back Nawa

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): Afghan security forces on Monday claimed killing and wounding more than 100 Taliban militants and completely clearing the Nawa district of southern Helmand province of their presence.

They said at least 80 militants were killed and 25 others wounded during the Afghan forces’ operation for recapturing Nawa district.

The Afghan forces were able to retake control of the district on Monday morning, about nine months after the Taliban seized the town.

Brig. Gen. Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai, the commander od 215 Maiwand Military Corps, told reporters on Monday that Nawa district had been cleared of militants during a three-day operation.

He said 80 Taliban insurgents were killed and 25 others wounded as well as their 12 vehicles and a large number of weapons were destroyed during the offensive.

He said foreign forces also cooperated with the Afghan forces in the battles. Only one policeman was killed and seven others wounded, Ahmadzai added.

He said a combing operation was currently underway in Nawa district and plans to recapture other districts of Helmand were on the table.

Governor Hayatullah Hayat, who spoke at the press conference, said that civil services would be restored in Nawa district.

The Taliban would be no longer able to stay ground against the Afghan forces after suffering huge losses in the recent past, he said.

Agha Mohammad Takra, Nawa administrative chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News that all buildings of the police headquarters, the district administrative office and others had been destroyed by the Taliban during their nine months old siege.

“We will try to reconstruct these buildings as our first steps towards good governance,” he said, adding Nawa people remained disconnected from the government for several months and now they were in urgent need of public services.

Second Lt. Mohammad Jan Khpalwak, a commander of the 4th Border Brigade, said: “I am tasked with collecting Taliban flags. I will carefully collect the flags and bury them in river.”

Haji Atiqullah, a member of Nawa Social Council, also said that the Afghan forces had wrested control of their district.

He said Nawa residents took to the streets to celebrate the security forces’ victory. The Taliban have so far not commented on the situation so far.

mds/ma

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