50 militants killed in Paktika operation

KABUL): More than 50 militants were killed during an operation against foreign fighters by Afghan and foreign forces in southeastern Paktika province on Friday, the US-led coalition said.

A camp of Haqqani network fighters in Sar Rawza district, a staging area for foreign insurgents, was the target of the offensive, involving Afghan special forces.

“These fighters were moved into the country by Haqqani insurgents who planned to use them for attacks throughout Afghanistan,” a coalition statement said.

During the operation, the security force was fired at by multiple rebel groups through the night, it said, adding the insurgents, armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs), heavy machine guns and AK-47 assault rifles.

Engaged from several locations, including cave sites and fortified bunkered fighting positions, the security personnel responded to fire throughout the night, killing over 30 Haqqani group members.

“The combined force continued to clear the area into the morning and was intermittently engaged by insurgents throughout the day. The force continued to respond to the enemy’s armed engagement.”

The joint force employed small arms fire and airstrikes to counter the militant threat. Another 20 insurgents were killed as a result, the statement added.

Numerous stockpiles of weapons, including mortars, RPGs with warheads, machine guns with multiple crates of ammunition, AK-47 rifles with magazines, grenades, chest racks and military gear were recovered from the site.

mud/pr

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