Afghan Conflicts Claim 16 Lives Including 6 Soldiers
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Militancy and counter-militancy operations claimed 16 lives including six government soldiers and 10 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan since Monday night, officials confirmed Tuesday.
In a Taliban attack against a checkpoint of the national army in Balamirghab district of Badghis province, northwest Afghanistan, left seven dead including six soldiers and an insurgent, a senior military officer said.
"Taliban militants raided a checkpoint of the Afghan national army in Joiganj village of Balamirghab district late last night, killing six soldiers and fled with another soldier," Daud Shah Wafadar told Xinhua.
The senior officer said he could not rule out Taliban penetration in the incident, saying the soldier fled with the militants could be a Taliban man who might have assisted the insurgents in conducting the bloody attack.
Taliban militants have yet to claim responsibility for the offensive.
In another development on Monday night, security forces raided a Taliban hideout in eastern Nangarhar province, killing nine Taliban militants including their commander Zarqawi, police said on Tuesday.
"Acting upon intelligence report, the security forces conducted air strikes in Sorkot area of Shirzad district late last night, killing nine insurgents including notorious commander Zarqawi," provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said.
The physical elimination of Zarqawi is a major setback to Taliban militants in Nangarhar and the neighboring provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, he added.
Zarqawi, according to locals, besides involvement in organizing roadside and suicide bombings also beheaded his targets if captured.
Taliban militants fighting the government who have speeded up activities over the past couple of months are yet to make comment.
