At least 140 Taliban killed in Faryab airstrikes, clashes

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Authorities on Tuesday said at least 140 Taliban insurgents, including some shadow district chiefs, have been killed during air and ground operations in three districts of northern Faryab province.

Police Brig. Gen. Delawar Shah Delawar said Mullah Qubadullah was killed along with his 25 fighters, Mullah Abdul Karim, a shadow district chief, with his 10 fighters and Mullah Zahihullah Yousafi with 25 fighters.

Another Taliban commander Salam aka Nessan was killed along with 16 loyalists and commander Sayed Esmaeel was killed along with 10 gunmen while another 40 militants in an orchard were killed in airstrikes in Kohistan district late on Monday night.

Delawar said it was possible the Taliban had suffered more than double the casualties so far reported in the airstrikes. He said it was the heaviest death toll the Taliban suffered in Faryab.

Two days ago, Lowlash area, the centre of Kohistan district, was captured by Taliban insurgents, besieging more than 60 security personnel from the commando unit, the Afghan national army, police and intelligence in Khairabad village.

Subsequently a clearing operation was launched in the district to rescue the besieged forces and the operation is still ongoing.

The provincial police spokesman said militants attacked public uprising members in Sherin Tagab district and Chehilgazai area of Qaisar district, but they were forced into retreat after losing eight fighters.

Another two attackers were injured in the clashes last night, he said, adding civilians escaped unharmed in Kohistan airstrike and Qaisar clashes, but only one security personnel was killed and two others wounded.

A public uprising group commander, Sleman Rahmani, said the Taliban were not allowing civilians to leave villages in order to use them as human shield against airstrikes. The Taliban killed four people who wanted to go to a secure this morning, he said, adding a woman and two other civilian were wounded in the airstrike.

Nizamuddin Qaisari, special representative of first Vice-President Gen Abdul Rashid Dostum, for the affairs of uprising groups, said he himself took part in the clash in Qaiser district where 11 Taliban were killed and 22 others wounded in Chelgazai area.

One uprising member was killed and two Afghan soldiers were wounded in the clash.

But Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban’s spokesman, said five security personnel were killed and nearly a dozen others wounded in attacks in Lowlash, Qaisar and Sherin Tagab districts and two tanks were destroyed. Their Three fighters were killed and five injured, Mujahid said.

sa/ma

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