14 border police personnel killed in Takhar attack

TALOQAN (Pajhwok): At least 14 border police personnel have been killed and six others have gone missing following a Taliban attack in northern Takhar province, officials said on Thursday.

Saifuddin Mushtaq, Chah Aab district’s administrative chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants stormed border police check-post in Yatim Tepa area late on Wednesday night.

Nine border police personnel were killed and five others wounded, he said, adding the casualties could be higher. He claimed the security officials, who had been tipped off six hours ahead of the attack, failed to take preventive action.

He believed no casualties would have been taken place if the reinforcements had reached the site time.

A tribal elder, Anwar Khan, said about 24 policemen were manning the post and 15 of them had suffered casualties.

Sunatullah Timori, the governor’s spokesman, said 14 border policemen were killed, two injured and six others had been missing in the wake of the assault.

On the other hand, Taliban claimed in a statement the rebels had overrun four check-posts and inflicted casualties on nine policemen.

sa/mud