Afghanistan Times
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By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Afghan security forces repelled a massive attack of the Taliban militants on Maimana, the capital city of northern Faryab Province, the other night.
The acting Governor of Faryab Abdul Satar Barez told Afghanistan Times that the Taliban insurgents attacked the Maimana from different parts. “However, security forces managed to repel the attack,” he added.
He said that fighting between the Taliban militants and security forces started at 7:00pm on Sunday and raged on till 5:00am. “After sustaining heavy casualties, the militants escaped the area,” he said.
He added that security forces killed tens of rebels including, a Taliban commander linked to Queta Shura of the Taliban, Sheikh Wali, and the Taliban’s Shadow governor for Faryab, Maulvi Habibullah.
“A swarm of the Taliban militants numbering around 1,000 rebels attacked the city from different points,” he said, adding that there were no civilian casualties in the fighting.
He said that the defeat was a lesson those who on the behest of foreign spy agencies are hell bent on killing Afghans.
“Enough troops are in the city to repel such terrorist attacks in the future,” he maintained. He said that local uprising members also fought beside Afghan security forces against the Taliban militants.
Faryab Provincial Council Member Rahmatullah Turkistani said the Taliban militants attacked Maimana from three points— north, east and west. “However, the militants faced strong reaction from both security forces and public uprising members,” he added.
He said that over 60 Taliban fighters, including several commanders, have been killed in the fighting.
He added that the militants retreated to Ghurmach and Balamurghab districts of the province.
In the meantime, Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense told reporters on Monday that the Taliban militants wanted to attack the provincial prison and release prisoners, as they did in Kunduz.
It is pertinent to mention that Maimana is the second provincial capital attacked by the Taliban militants over the past two weeks. The Taliban militants stormed Kunduz city and took its control for three days. Afghan forces retook control of the city, but clashes are still ongoing in some parts of the city.
