Policemen among 24 killed in Farah clashes, raid

FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): Four police personnel and 20 Taliban have been killed in separate incidents of violence in western Farah province, an official said on Wednesday.

Police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib told Pajhwok Afghan News the insurgents stormed on security check-posts in Farah Rod village of Balabalok district.

He said in the overnight attack on the Farah-Herat highway four policemen were killed and five others wounded.

Separately, 20 fighters were killed, eight others wounded and 15 of their vehicles destroyed during an airstrike, he concluded.

But Attiqullah, a resident of the area, said 11 policemen and two Taliban rebels were killed in the raid.

According to another report, seven policemen were killed in a Taliban attack on security checkpoints in the Pashmakai locality of Jawin district.

Nasir Ahmad, a resident of the area, confirmed the killing of seven policemen. He said the Taliban took away all equipments of the security forces.

Mullah Abdul Hadi, a local spokesman for the Taliban in Farah, claimed killing 11 policemen and wounding seven others in overnight clashes.

pk/mud