Ghazni’s Ajristan likely to fall to insurgents
admin
May 20, 2018
Nation, Provinces
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AT-KABUL: Ajristan district of Ghazni province is, according to a local authority, highly likely to fall to the Taliban insurgents.
Ajristan district chief warned on Saturday that the district could fallto the insurgent Taliban if reinforcements are not dispatched to buffer the Taliban push. District chief Hamdullah warned that all government employees are under siege in the district as insurgents are advancing. According to him, dozens of insurgents attacked the district four days back, engaging in clashes with government forces ever since.
He said that 14 security forces have been killed so far in the clashes and ten others were wounded, he said, warning that it would be tragic if the district collapsed.
Provincial governor Mohammad AmanHamim meanwhile said that preparations have been taken to deploy commando forces to the district.
Taliban confirmed the clashes and claimed that 34 army and police soldiers have been killed in the clashes.
Hamim did not give information about the causalities but said that due to the district being so remote, there were no further details.
This comes after twenty two security force members were killed in heavy clashes with the Taliban in two districts of central Ghazni province, members of the provincial council confirmed on Wednesday.
In addition, five other security force members were wounded.
The clashes started on Tuesday night after dozens of Taliban insurgents attacked Zana Khan and Jaghato districts of the province, a member of the provincial council Hussain Reza Yousufi said.He claimed that 13 security forces, mostly police, were killed in Zana Khan and nine police were killed in Jaghato, adding that “heavy clashes are still ongoing in the district since last night and the Taliban insurgents have also suffered heavy casualties.”
The Taliban has also confirmed the clashes with the government forces in the districts.
Yousufi said that the situation is “worrying”.
The Ghazni attack came a day after nearly 2,000 Taliban insurgents stormed western Farah province’s capital city early Tuesday. The insurgents were pushed back early Wednesday after the arrival of reinforcement troops, according to the provincial governor, BasirSalangi. About 300 insurgents were killed in the day-long attack, Salangi said, adding that “15 army soldiers, 10 policemen and five civilians were killed in the clashes.”
Afghanistan Times
