SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Hundreds of Taliban and Daesh gunmen have been killed during ongoing clashes between the sides in Darzab district of northwestern Jawzjan province, local officials claimed on Wednesday.
The officials said around 250 fighters on both sides had so far been killed in the ongoing clashes in three villages of Darzab district since last night.
The clashes broke out after Daesh militants beheaded a Taliban commander Mullah Borjan in Bibi Maryam village on Tuesday night, said Mohammad Reza Ghafori, the Jawzjan governor’s spokesman.
He told Pajhwok Afghan News Mullah Borjan had been taken hostage by Daesh fighters in Bibi Mariam village three days ago and was beheaded along with one of his accomplices.
He said so far 70 Taliban and 52 IS fighters had been killed and more than 100 Taliban and 33 Daesh rebels wounded during the clashes.
The clashes were still underway and both the sides were using heavy and small weapons, Ghafori said.
Meanwhile, Sufi Mohammad, a resident of Sardara village of Darzab, said: “A clash between the two sides is ongoing near our village.”
He said at least 20 civilians, including women and children had been killed during the clashes in Bibi Mariam, Aqsai, Komarlik and Tash Jawaz villages over the past one week.
He said both the Taliban and Daesh were trying to hide their dead fighters from people’s eyes and buried their dead wherever they found a proper place. The number of fighters killed on both sides was above 200 last night, he added.
A local Taliban insurgent, who wished to go unnamed, said they did not suffer casualties, but Daesh suffered heavy losses.
However, he confirmed the death of Mullah Borjan and one of his accomplices in the fight with Daesh, but said Borjan was not a commander, but an ordinary fighter.
The source added Kumarlik, Bibi Mariam and Aqblaq villages of Darzab district were cleared of Daesh and their operations against the rival faction was currently ongoing in Tash Jawaz, Aqsai, Qarighach and Qara Yorth villages.
He claimed two major bases of Daesh in Bibi Mariam village had been seized by Taliban along with all weapons and ammunition.
Key Daesh members had already left the area and fled to Nangarhar province, leaving their ordinary members to fight alone, who would be also eliminated soon, he said.
The Daesh group has so far noted comment on the incident.
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