Taliban Captures Afghanistan’s Southeastern City: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan’s southeastern city of Khoshamand in Paktika Province has fallen into the hands of the militant group.
In a statement released on Saturday, Mujahid said that Khoshamand was seized by Taliban forces following an attack on the headquarters of police in the city.
In the attack, the police chief of the city and 10 security forces were killed, six others were injured, and another six were captured by the Taliban militants, according to the statement.
He also said two members of the Taliban were killed and four others were injured in the clash with the police forces.
The development came as the US envoy for Afghanistan peace efforts arrived in Kabul on Saturday after meeting Taliban leaders in Qatar in an effort to find a way to end the 17-year-old war in the country, three Afghan officials said.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born US adviser, met with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday and briefed him about his 10-day tour of four countries conducted in a bid to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table, Reuters reported.
A senior member of the Taliban confirmed that Khalilzad met the Taliban leadership on Friday in Doha.
"Both sides discuss prospects of peace and the US presence in Afghanistan," said the official, requesting anonymity.
