Afghan forces abandon a base, three outposts in Laghman

The Afghan Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF) have abandoned a military base and three outposts in the Alingar district of eastern Laghman province, sources said Friday.

Security sources told Ariana News that the base and the outposts have been captured by the Taliban militants after the Afghan forces retreated.

The Taliban, however, published pictures claiming the militants have captured 14 members of the Afghan forces and seized a number of weapons and ammo.

This comes after the Taliban militants captured the Shahr-e Kohna region of Baghlan-e Markazi district and Burka district of Baghlan province this week.

Afghan army officials stated that the operation underway to retake the Shahr-e Kohna of Baghlan-e Markazi.

Safiullah, an Afghan army commander in the north, stated: “We have recaptured large areas. We are capable to bring the situation to normal.”

“The Afghan forces have been deployed in the area. We will not let any place collapse to the Taliban,” Mohammad Akbar Barakzai governor of Baghlan said.

The security organizations stated that the Taliban have carried out 870 attacks – 10 suicide attacks, 100 bombings, and 30 targeted assassinations – on the Afghan forces during this week.

The Afghan army, however, stated that at least 250 Taliban militants have been killed in Kandahar, Badghis, Balkh, Helmand, Herat, Takhar, and Kunduz in the last 24 hours,

Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) stated: “The Afghan Security and Defense forces have cracked down on the Taliban in parts of the country. Their attacks against civilians mean that the group believes in nothing but war.”