Latest Taliban Attacks across Afghanistan Kill 17


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A spate of Taliban attacks across Afghanistan overnight and on Thursday morning killed at least 17 people with the insurgents increasingly targeting local police and Afghan forces.

The deadliest of the attacks took place late Wednesday in the central Ghazni province, where Taliban insurgents attacked a checkpoint in Andar district, killing 11 members of a pro-government militia that was manning the post and wounding six.

As the militia fought back, six insurgents were killed and seven were wounded, according to Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, deputy governor in central Ghazni province.

The province's deputy police chief, Asadullah Ensafi, said the insurgents had inside information from one of their own who had managed to infiltrate the volunteer militia last year.

In a message, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack on the checkpoint.

On Thursday morning, a roadside bomb killed four people, including a policeman, in eastern Laghman province, said spokesman Sarhadi Zwak. The bombing, for which he blamed the Taliban, took place in the provincial capital of Mihtarlam, AP reported.

And in the district of Sayed Abad in Wardak province east of the capital, Kabul, Taliban fighters ragged two villagers from their home and killed them, according to spokesman Attaullha Khugyani.