Taliban overrun more areas in Faryab

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): The Taliban overran two areas in Almar and Qaisar districts following clashes that left 10 rebels dead in northern Faryab province, officials said on Sunday.

The Taliban attacked Khwaja Gawhar bazaar in the Almar district on Saturday night, capturing a tank form the border police who abandoned the area in coordination with local authority, a member of the provincial council, Syed Abdul Baqi Hashimi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the Taliban militants ambushed the retreating border police, killing three of them and injuring two others.

The security personnel had moved to the district centre, an official said on the condition of anonymity. He added six border policemen were injured when they were ambushed while leaving the area.

However, Maj. Ahmad Wais, the border police battalion’s deputy commander, denied the police casualties, saying they had caused casualties to insurgents.

Meanwhile, the Taliban also captured Ghora area of Qaisar district, two weeks after government forces led by First Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum cleared the area from Taliban, Rahmatullah Qaisari, the administrative head of the district, said.

Ten Taliban fighters were killed and six policemen injured during the two-day clash in Kata wa Lang area of Qaisar district, he said.

In the same district, Taliban shot dead a 12-year-old school boy for unknown reasons in Tagab Airak area, the district chief said.

A resident of the area said on condition of anonymity that the militants killed the boy on the charge of being informer for the government.

myn/ma