Taliban district chief among 8 rebels dead in clash, blast

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Eight Taliban, including their shadow district chief, have been killed separately during a clash and blast in the Keshk-e-Kohna and Shindand districts of western Herat province, an official said on Tuesday.

Jilani Farhad, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News the clash erupted when insurgents attacked a security forces’ convoy in Koh-i-Antan locality of Qalamin village of the district on Monday night.

He said retaliatory firing by the security forces’ caravan resulted in the killing of Mullah Ghani alias Mullah Mobariz, a Taliban shadow chief for Keshk-e-Kohna, and his five other associates.

No casualties were inflicted on security personnel during the firefight, he claimed.

Farhad said a clearing operation had been launched by security forces to drive the insurgents away from the district.

Meanwhile, two rebels were killed and another wounded by own Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Shindand district, he said, adding the IED was aimed at targeting security troops’ vehicles.

The roadside bomb exploded, while the insurgents were planting it in Mank area of the district, killing Mullah Ashraf Fidayi and Mullah Babar and wounding another fighter.

Abdul Raoof Ahmadi, Herat police spokesman, was unaware of the clash an operation in Keshk-i-Kohna district.

There has been no comment from the Taliban over recent incidents of violence in Herat.

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