(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT News Report
KABUL: At least over 40 Afghan security forces have been
killed and over dozens other wounded after Taliban insurgents intensified
attacking security forces across the country with days.
The Taliban stormed an army checkpoint in western Farah
province, killing 20 soldiers and abducting two. In another attack carried out
by Taliban suicide bomber targeting provincial police headquarter of Baghlan
province, in which over 20 Afghan security forces killed and 55 others
including 20 civilians received injures.
War has been intensified and this is relentless attacks by
the Taliban insurgents in the wake of ongoing peace talks.
The sixth round of talks between the Taliban Doha office
representatives and US peace envoy for Afghanistancontinued for four days
and were paused for a day to mark the start of the holy month.
Taliban Qatar office spokesman Sohail Shaheen on his Twitter
account said that due to holiday on the first Ramazand their talks were
suspended for a day. He said the talks would resume on Tuesday.
Moreover, these attacks also dashed hopes of some sort of
truce during the holy month of Ramadan.
The overnight attack on the checkpoint in the Farah
province's Gulistan district triggered an hour-long gunbattle as Afghan troops
tried to repel the attackers. The fate of the abducted soldiers was not
immediately known, said provincial councilman Dadullah Qaneh.
Col. Qais Mangal, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of
Defense, later confirmed the attack but could not give precise casualties
figures.
'I can confirm that an army checkpoint has been attacked and
there are casualties among soldiers," he said, adding that reinforcements
have been dispatched to the area.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yusouf Ahmadi claimed responsibility
for the attack.
Moreover, At least seven Taliban gunmen wearing police
uniforms — some armed with suicide vests — rushed to police headquarter in
Pul-i-Kumri, the capital of Baghlan province, killing 20 Afghan police men.
Deputy Provincial Health Directorate of Baghlan, Abdullah
Haleem said that 66 injured people were brought to hospital, where 20 of them
were dead. According to him the killed people were security forces.
'20 of 66 injured are civilians, including men, women, and
children,' he added, putting health conditions of 14 critical.
Former President Hamid Karzai stressed the need for an
immediate intra-Afghan talks to end the war in the country.
'The deadly night raid in Logar and suicide attacks in Khost
and Baghlan inflicting heavy losses are condemnable in strongest words. As I
have always said, an immediate end to the conflict and recommencing the
intra-Afghan peace dialogue is the ardent desire of the Afghan people,' the
former president tweeted.
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah reacted over Baghlan act
of terror. 'TheTaliban
attack in Baghlan highlights the truth; a crime network has no cause and no
conviction other than a vandal's desire to violence and destruction. Never will
we allow the crime network to return through the backdoor in the name of peace,'
the Chief Executive tweeted.
Last week, 3,200 Afghans from across the country came under
one umbrella of Jirga or grand assembly, where they issued resolution, asking
the government of Afghanistan and Taliban to embrace ceasefire starting from
first day of Ramadan.
But the Taliban rejected a cease-fire during Ramadan, saying
their attacks will continue as there will be more rewards.
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