Soldiers among 17 dead in Sangin fighting

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): Five Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and 12 militants have been killed in an ongoing gunbattle between security forces and insurgents in the Sangin district of southern Helmand province, the commander of the 215^th Maiwand military corps said on Saturday.

Gen. Hayatullah Aqtash said the clash that erupted last night was still underway. An ANA source told Pajhwok Afghan News tens of Taliban launched group attacks on check posts. A dozen soldiers have died so far in the firefight and that the clash was still underway close to Majid Chowk.

Haji Ali Shah Khan, a tribal elder of the locality, confirmed the gun fight took place at around 12:00am last night, which was still ongoing. Civilians suffered no casualties, he added.

He said militants had made some ANA soldiers captive but officials did not confirm his claim.

Taliban Spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said 31 ANA soldiers had been killed in Sangin fight.

Simultaneously, an intense firefight continued between Afghan security forces and militants in southern Helmand province, leaving five Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and 26 Taliban dead.

The gunbattle was sparked by an insurgent attack on a military base that formerly housed British troops in the restive province. Late on Thursday, the 215th Maiwand Military Corps said the coordinated attack on Camp Bastion had been repulsed.

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