9 dead as insurgents storm ALP posts in Takhar

TALOQAN/GHAZNI CTY (Pajhwok): Eight militants were killed after they attacked Afghan Local Police (ALP) posts in the Khwaja Ghar district of northern Takhar province, an official said on Sunday.

One ALP official was killed and seven others were wounded during the overnight clashes in Kor Tepa and Momin areas of the district, the governor’s spokesman, Sunnatullah Taimur, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said dozens of insurgents were involved in the attacks, with ALP and national police personnel putting up stiff resistance. Afghan National Army (ANA) troops were poised to join police in the battle, he added.

Khwaja Ghar district chief Mullah Omar promised ANA soldiers would reach the scene soon to assist the police. He said the clash was ongoing but the rebels were retreating and some dead bodies of their colleagues remained at the site.

A tribal elder from the area, Malak Shamsullah, said both sides used heavy and light weapons and the clash was underway. He said civilians had not suffered any casualties so far.

The elder said insurgents had intensified their attacks in various parts of the district over the past one month. He suggested ANA posts should be established in the district in order to prevent the attacks.

Elsewhere, two children were killed and a third injured as a result of a bomb blast in the capital of southern Ghazni province. The blast took place on Saturday evening in the Qazi Qala area of Ghazni City, the governor’s spokesman said.

Shafique Nang claimed the Taliban had given the children a handcart to take it to Ghazni City. The insurgents had attached explosives to the handcart that went off on the way to the city, he said.

Noorullah, a doctor at the provincial civil hospital, told Pajhwok they had received two dead bodies and an injured child, who was in stable condition.

ma/mud

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