Afghan forces repel Taleban assault on provincial capital, governor says

Kabul - Taleban assault is the latest in a string of offensives as US-led foreign forces are in final stages of withdrawing troops after almost 20 years of fighting

Afghan security forces, with the help of air strikes, repelled an assault by Taleban fighters on the provincial centre of a key northern province bordering Tajikistan on Sunday, officials said.

The Taleban assault was the latest in a string of offensives that has seen insurgents capture territory across Afghanistan as US-led foreign forces are in the final stages of withdrawing troops after almost 20 years of fighting.

“The enemy’s offensive attacks were repelled, and they suffered heavy and unprecedented casualties, as a result of which 55 enemy soldiers were killed and 90 were wounded,” the governor of Takhar province Abdullah Qarluq said.

Reuters could not independently confirm his account.

More than a dozen Taleban fighters were killed in air strikes by the Afghan Air Force on hideouts on the outskirts of Takhar’s provincial center, Taluqan, Afghanistan’s defence ministry said on Twitter.

“The Taleban attacked Taluqan from four directions last night (Saturday), but were faced with strong resistance from security forces and (local) people,” Khalil Asir, spokesman for Takhar Police Command, told Reuters.

Taluqan is just the latest provincial capital to come under Taleban pressure. Earlier this week Taleban fighters entered the capital of the western province of Badghis, seizing police and security facilities and attempting to take over the governor’s office before special forces pushed them back.

Taliban officials said on Friday that the insurgent group had taken control of 85% of Afghanistan’s territory. Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion as propaganda.