At least 37 killed in Sar-i-Pul clash

SARI-I-PUL CITY (Pajhwok): At least 14 security personnel and 23 Taliban Nadir, were killed during an hours-long fierce gunbattle in northern Sar-i-Pul province, the governor said on Monday.

The clash broke out on Sunday afternoon when insurgents ambushed a joint convoy of Afghan police and army as it travelled through Alaf Safid valley’s Laghman village near Sar-i-Pul City, Abdul Jabbar Haqbin told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the convoy was returning to the provincial capital from the Kohistan district when came under attack from a large group of heavily armed rebels.

The firefight stretched into midnight resulting in the killing of 23 attackers, including a key commander, Mullah Nadir.

He said 14 police and Afghan National Army personnel had been killed and 17 others wounded during the clash. Six security men were held captive by the insurgents and nine pick up vehicles were torched.

He said currently security forces were busy evacuating the dead and wounded from the clash site and feared the death toll for the forces could climb.

A Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi claimed 40 security personnel had been killed and 13 others wounded in the ambush. Another six security men were taken captive and six vehicles and four tanks were destroyed, he said.

Meanwhile, the spy service said 18 rebels have been arrested during raids in Balkh, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Daikundi and Nimroz provinces.

In a statement, the National Directorate of Security (NDS to carry out insurgent activities.

nh/ma

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