Describing last week as deadliest week in last 19 years, Office of the National Security Council (ONSC) has said that a total of 291 Afghan defense and security forces were killed and 550 others wounded in the Taliban attacks. With the civilian casualties, the overall casualty toll jumps to 989 in the deadliest week.
148 civilians were killed (42) and wounded (106) as the result of 422 Taliban “terrorist attacks” across 32 provinces of the county, the ONSC said in its statement issued today, June 22.
“Considering the violence [level], last week has been the deadliest week in over past 19 years while the Taliban had made a commitment of reducing the violence and that they work for peace,” part of the statement issued in Dari reads. Accusing the militant group of failing to deliver on their commitments, the ONSC noted that the Taliban have not shown a single sign of “good well” for bringing about peace in Afghanistan.
Terming the level of violence as unacceptable for the Afghan government, the ONSC statement has reiterated on the repeated demand of the Afghan government for ending the violence and start of effective and real activities for peace in the country.
It further warned that the continuation of violence would face the national reconciliation process with hardships and would lead it to a “complicated” phase.
The Taliban, however, have not commented regarding the remarks.
This comes as the Taliban militants have recently ramped up their attacks against Afghan security forces in all over the country which is contradictory to a so called “undeclared” and extended détente held during three days of Eid al-Fitr. The détente was announced by the Taliban and welcomed by the Afghan government. It further encouraged the government to resume the release process of thousands Taliban prisoners which was halted for intensified violence by the Taliban.
In the most recent Taliban attack, five members of the People’s Uprising Force – a pro-government militia – were killed and three others wounded in the northern Takhar province. Khalil Asir, spokesperson for Takhar police chief, told Kabul Now that the Taliban militants launched the attack last night, June 21, around 11:00 PM in Jarqeshlaq village of Baharak district. He added that the attack was repelled after around one and a half hour clashes, with the Taliban also suffering some casualties.
