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KABUL: The Afghan security forces have foiled Taliban large-scale simultaneous attacks in Alingar district and on parts of Mahtarlam, the provincial capital city of eastern Laghman province, and the militants fled away after suffering huge casualties.
At least 50 Taliban rebels were killed and 60 others were wounded after they faced a strict and timely resistance by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).
The Afghan Defense Ministry said Monday that Afghan security forces had conducted military stings in the outskirts of Mahtarlam and Alingar district on Sunday night and the vast areas were cleared off from the Taliban. Key commanders of the Taliban and foreign fighters are among the casualties.
The Army Chief of Staff, General Mohammad Yasin Zia arrived at Laghman following intensive clashes and started leading Sunday night’s operation, the Ministry of Defense said.
A large amount of heavy and light weapons were also destroyed, according to the statement.
The Afghan security forces are continuing clearing operations and are in an advancing position in Alishing district, the ministry added.
The Laghman Governor Office in a statement confirmed the killing of 50 Taliban insurgents. It says the Taliban were defeated in the outskirt city of Mehtarlam and Alingar district, and another 60 Taliban insurgents were wounded.
The clearing operation is going on successfully in Alishing district, according to the statement.
Citizen of the Mehtarlam city after passing a fearful Sunday night started their fresh morning on Monday with going to schools and workplaces. Life turned to its normalcy, and the people engaged in their daily activities without any fear after the Afghan security forces pushed back Taliban insurgents, including some Pakistan terrorists from the city.
The Taliban rebels in the past one week had launched major offensives against the Local Police and Afghan National Army’s Territorial Force (ANATF) members in Alishang, Alingar and Dawlat-Shah districts of the province.
During this offensive, Afghan forces retreated from a number of security check posts, some bases and district center of Dawlat-Shah to prevent civilian casualties as Taliban had been using civilians as human shields and their houses as fighting positions, officials said.
Hundreds of commando forces arrived in eastern Laghman province on Sunday to respond to the Taliban offensives in various parts of this province, officials said.
The fresh troops have the mission to clear the areas from the militant presence, which were lost to the Taliban in the past several days.
Similarly, a Taliban attack fended off in six districts of northern Badakhshan province on Sunday night.
Taliban massively attacked Raghistan, Wardoj, Yaftal Paian, Jurm, Khash and Darayem districts on Sunday night, which were repulsed by the Afghan security forces, Provincial Governor Spokesman, Nik Mohammad Nazari said.
He said that the Taliban fighters in cooperation with the foreign terrorists attacked the districts foiled by the Afghan security forces and resulted in the killing of ten Taliban insurgents.
The Taliban had agreed with the US during that not to conduct large-scale attacks in larger cities and provincial capitals. During the peace talks with the US, they also agreed to reduce the level of violence, but nothing such happened. In recent months, the Taliban fighters are massively attacking different districts of various provinces.
The Afghan government often said that the Taliban intensified attacks amid ongoing peace talks to gain more privileges, but their nefarious designs were often tamed by the Afghan security forces. All the Taliban’s attacks have so far failed.
