As many as 17 members of the People Uprising Forces, a pro-government militia, were killed and four others wounded in a Taliban attack overnight in Khawaja Bahawodin district of the northern Takhar province, according to Jawad Hijri, spokesperson for the provincial governor.
He detailed that the Taliban militants launched the attack around midnight on Saturday’s night, December 28, on a security outpost belonging to Malik Ahmad Tatar, commander of the pro-government militia.
The local official described Mr. Tatar as one of key local allies of the government who have played an effective role in suppressing the militants in the district.
He further noted that all the fallen forces were the militiamen commanded by Mr. Tatar, adding that the situation was currently under the control of government forces as the reinforcement was made soon.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have claimed that 21 pro-government forces, including a commander of these forces, were killed in their attack and some others were wounded.
Situated in the northern part of the country, Takhar is one of Afghanistan’s volatile province where the Taliban militants have recently increased their insurgency operations.
