Afghanistan: 25 killed in Taliban attacks; Afghan forces kill 167 Taliban terrorists in 24 hours

Kabul: – 25 people were killed in the blasts carried out by Taliban in different parts of Afghanistan. These include 14 Afghan soldiers. In addition, the Taliban abducted 37 Afghan soldiers in an attack in the Faryab province on Saturday night. The Afghan defence ministry informed that the Afghan military killed 167 Taliban terrorists in the last 24 hours.

The Afghan defence ministry informed that action was taken on Taliban locations in 16 provinces. As a result, 167 Taliban terrorists were killed and 59 were injured in the actions taken in the Nangarhar, Laghman, Paktia, Maidan Wardak, Logar, Daikundi, Zabul, Badghis, Herat, Ghor, Balkh, Jovzaan, Samangan, Baghlan, Badakhshan and Helmand provinces.

Reports are being received that Taliban carried out three major actions to target the Afghan defence forces. First, 14 soldiers were killed in an attack on the police headquarters in the Kaisar region of the Faryab province. After that, the Taliban abducted 37 police officers. Senior Afghan official, Nader Saeedi, expressed a concern that the government should send reinforcements to this area or Taliban may kidnap 30 to 40 more soldiers.

Taliban carried out a bomb blast on the road, to target the Afghan soldiers patrolling in the Ab Kamari district in the Badghis province. But a passenger bus became the blast victim, killing all the 11 people travelling on the bus, on the spot. Moreover, as per reports, Taliban carried out a bomb blast near the police headquarters in the Balkh province on Sunday. It is claimed that civilians, as well as police officers, were killed in the blast. But the details of casualties have not been published.

Since the last few days, concerns are being expressed that the Taliban are targeting the Afghan security forces and students. Whereas, it had been exposed that Taliban had targeted the girls’ schools in northern Afghanistan. Reports are being received that the Afghan people are trying to escape to western countries given these Taliban attacks.

Two days ago, the Afghan foreign ministry criticised that the entire world is aware of the instability and the Taliban attacks in the country. Although not mentioned directly, the Afghan foreign ministry is targeting Pakistan.

A few weeks ago, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accused Pakistan of playing a hidden war against Afghanistan, using Taliban. Whereas Afghan National Security Advisor, Hamdullah Mohib, had fired a salvo of criticism at Pakistan, in harsher words. After that, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi issued a warning to Afghanistan.