Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
“This is not the first attack,nor is it the last”
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Twenty army soldiers embraced martyrdom on Friday night following a massive midnight attack of Taliban insurgents on security checkpoints in western Farah province, said officials.
Taliban fiercely stormed army checkpoints in Dehzak area of Faryab’s Balablok district and killed 20 ANA soldiers, said Farah’s Provincial Council Chief Farid Bakhtawar.
Theattack started at midnight and the heavy fighting that raged afterwards lasted for three hours, he said.The assaults left ten soldiers injured too, said Bakhtawar, reckoning that the assailants too sustained quite heavy casualties as a result of an army counterattack.
Provincial Council member Dadullah Qa’ne has a different account of casualties, however. He said that 18 ANA soldierslost their lives and four others injured in Dehzak rebel raid; while two soldiers have been missingfollowing the rampage.
“This is not the first attack nor is it the last one,” he said. “Every weak, insurgents of Taliban attack and override checkpoints in Balabolok district”.
“Insecurity has spread and battered Farah province, and recently to Farah highway; Farah city is also on the brink of security threats”, he said, warning insecurity will far more likely escalate if the situation faces oblivion.
Gubernatorial Spokesperson Naser Mehri has confirmed the Balabolok assault, saying eleven army troops were killed while four others sustained injuries.
Over nine Talibaninsurgents were killed and thirteen others badly injured following a retaliatory attack of Afghan forces, who have also taken control of the situation. Reinforcements have arrived in Balabolok and tension has eased, he said.
