Afghan forces repel Taliban attack on Mehtarlam

Afghan military officials said on Monday that Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) pushed back the Taliban on Sunday night as the group advanced on the Laghman provincial capital of Mehtarlam.

Late Sunday the Taliban carried out attacks on the Alishing district in the province and on parts of Mehtarlam.

Sources told Ariana News on Sunday night that the provincial prison was under siege and that the Taliban were “shouting via a load speaker and asking the prisoners to escape.”

But Lutfullah Kamran, Laghman’s police chief said: “The enemy is under fire, we will protect Laghman even if it costs us our lives.”

Meanwhile, the provincial governor said that nearly 110 military personnel from around the province have been jailed for dereliction of duty.

Laghman Governor Rahmatullah Yarmal, told RFE / RL that a number of high-ranking military personnel, including the deputy chief of national security operations for Laghman, are among those who were arrested.

Yarmal also said that some security and defense force members left their posts to the Taliban without any resistance.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) meanwhile said that Afghan forces launched operations in 11 provinces across the country.

“Afghan forces launched operations in 11 provinces of the country and Taliban suffered heavy casualties in the operation,” said Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the MoD.

In addition to this, the Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid has returned to Kabul and on Monday met with President Ashraf Ghani.

Khalid has been abroad for several months receiving medical treatment.