Clashes between the Afghan forces and the Taliban are underway in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and Zabul for the last month as the group has intensified its attacks despite ongoing efforts for peace to end the four decades of war in the country.

The attack on former Afghan TV presenter Yama Siawash was widely condemned by the Afghan government and foreign diplomats in Kabul who called for the safety of journalists in the country. The attack happened on Saturday morning near Siawash’s residence in the Makrorayan-e-Char area in Kabul.

The Afghan government on Saturday said the strategic partnership between the United States and Afghanistan is based on mutual interests and that there will be no major shift in the US’s Afghan policy after outcome of the US election.

In response to a recent statement by a Pakistani extremist cleric Hamid-ul-Haq, the head of Pakistan-based Haqqania Madarassa, the Afghan government on Saturday called on the Pakistani government to swiftly crack down on those madrassas that are involved in promoting extremism and fundamentalism in the region.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that 10 Taliban fighters including, a key member of the group have been killed and the group’s shadow governor for Helmand province was wounded during airstrikes in Nad Ali district. According to the MoD the Taliban intelligence chief for Nad Ali is among the 10 people killed in the airstrikes.

Mohammad Omar Daudzai, President Ashraf Ghani’s special envoy for Pakistan, said Saturday the Taliban are trying to challenge the Afghan peace process by intensifying the war and carrying out targeted assassinations across the country.

Lashkargah (BNA) Taliban shadow governor for Helmand was wounded in an airstrike and ten other Taliban were killed. According to reports, the attack took place last night during a Taliban rally in Nad Ali district when senior Taliban commanders were planning a large-scale attack on civilian and military facilities in the district.

Lashkargah (BNA) Taliban intelligence chief for Garmsir district, Helmand with four others were killed in an airstrike.

Afghanistan Ministry of Defense (MOD) said on Thursday that US has provided as assistance hundreds of Humvees vehicles, Helicopters and aircrafts to the Afghan National Army (ANA).

US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), quoted Pentagon, saying an increase in violence by the Taliban is not acceptable and will impact the US-Taliban peace deal.