Taliban’s plan to capture some areas frustrated, says Mohib

KABUL (Pajhwok): National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib on Saturday claimed international pressures on Pakistan to stop supporting militants had increased and that was why a senior Pakistani official would visit Afghanistan in near future.

Addressing a security meeting in Kabul, Mohib said foreign forces would transition military gear worth one billion dollars to Afghan forces.

He said foreign forces would leave behind equipment which were workable and would take along things which were used in air operations.

Foreign forces started withdrawing from Afghanistan on May and the process would conclude by September 11 this year. As part of the withdrawal process, the foreign forces had handed over some bases to Afghan counterparts in some provinces.

Mohib also said international pressure on Pakistan to shun supporting militants groups had increased and as a result a high ranking Pakistani official would visit Kabul soon.

He also said the Taliban wanted to overrun some areas but they faced stiff resistance from Afghan forces and failed.

He said the Taliban faced defeat in various provinces and that was why the security situation had improved compared to the previous weeks.

He claimed the Taliban had huge plans and wanted to capture some areas but they suffered defeat which showed the Afghan forces were capable of defending every part of the country.

Acting Defense Minister General Mohammad Yasin Zia told the gathering that nearly 1,000 Taliban militants had been killed or wounded in attacks by Afghan forces in Helmand, Kandahar, Baghlan, Ghazni, Farah and parts of Herat over the past few days.

He said the dead included Taliban leaders, one of whom worked for al-Qaeda, and that he had been killed.

However, the Taliban have not yet commented on the casualties in recent fighting.

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