Govt Forces Leave District in Kunar, Fighting Continues in North

Sources said that security forces left Narai district in the eastern province of Kunar on Sunday due to lack of supplies and that fighting continues on other fronts, including Nijrab district in Kapisa where its central areas are still under Taliban influence.

“Narai district fell (to the Taliban) without resistance. This shows the weakness of the leadership of the security agencies,” said Jawed Safi, an MP from Kunar.

Officials also reported fighting between government forces and the Taliban in Chahar Dara district in the northern province of Kunduz.

Officials in Parwan said that Taliban attacks were pushed back in some areas on the outskirts of Charikar city.

“The Taliban’s weapons and bodies were left there. Some of them were wounded. Their attack was thwarted,” Parwan governor Fazluddin Ayar said.

Meanwhile, fighting was reported in parts of Hazrat Sultan district in Samangan province.

“Progress will continue in the Ghaznigak area and the highway. These areas have been cleared of the enemy and the operation continues,” said a police commander in Samangan.

Security forces left Nijrab district in Kapisa – 100 kilometers north of Kabul – a week ago. Some MPs from Kapisa said that dozens of public uprising forces have taken up arms against the Taliban but so far the district has not been cleared.

“We should admit that there were some issues among the public uprising forces from the past and I hope that going forward, these problems are solved,” said Mir Afzal Haidari, head of the Parliament’s defense commission.

In Takhar province in northeastern Afghanistan 16 districts fell to the Taliban two weeks ago and clashes are still underway on the outskirts of Taluqan city, the provincial capital.

“We should hit the enemy. Who is this enemy? A few Pakistanis? Or few other foreigners? Or a few Taliban? We have a strong force,” said Abdul Latif Omari, a border forces commander in Takhar.

The Ministry of Defense said that efforts are underway to retake the fallen areas. The ministry added that 170 Taliban fighters were killed in the last 24 hours.

“Our forces are in better positions. Areas under the Taliban will become more limited every day,” said Fawad Aman, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry.

The Taliban has rejected the figures provided by the ministry.