Afghan forces struggle as ranks thinned by ‘ghost’ soldiers
Afghan forces on Sunday wrested control of a northern district bordering Tajikistan from the Taliban, officials said, two months after its capture stoked fears the jihadists’ violence could spread to Central Asia.
Afghan National Security Forces conducted an operation on Friday to clear Taliban from the area.
Sediqi further added that numerous Taliban militants were also arrested by the national security forces as clearing operations firmly continue in parts of Darqad district.
“The district has been entirely captured by the Afghan forces, the enemy suffering heavy casualties have been defeated”, it said.
Earlier in the day, spokesman for Takhar provincial government, Sanatullah Timor, told Xinhua that the government forces after killing 25 Taliban militants and injuring 20 others entered the district headquarters and swept out all government buildings from the insurgents.
Taliban militants who overran Darqad, which is located along the border with Tajikistan, last October have yet to make a comment.
“The Taliban’s shadow governor for the Yangi Qala district and a local Taliban commander were among those killed”, he added. The statement said seven soldiers were killed during the crackdown against the insurgents.
Takhar is surrounded by two relatively volatile provinces, Badakhshan in the east and Kunduz in the west where Taliban militants are actively operating and frequently carry out insurgency activities in their various districts.