At least six members of the People Uprising Forces, a pro-government militia, were killed and four others wounded after a Taliban car bomb hit their outpost in Kohistan district of the western Herat province, according to a local official.
Talking to Kabul Now, Arif Jalali, head of Herat provincial hospital, confirmed that the dead bodies of the security forces and the wounded were transferred to the hospital. According to him, the incident took place last night, Wednesday, February 24, in Qudus Abad area of the district.
Herat governor, Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali, however, provided a different account, confirming that three pro-government forces were killed in the incident. He said that the reinforcement forces have been sent to the area where a clash erupted between the Taliban and security forces.
The Taliban have not commented regarding the incident.
Kohistan is an insecure district of Herat province, where the Taliban militants launch sporadic attacks against government and pro-government forces.
Afghanistan has seen a dramatic increase in violence in recent months, particularly during a nearly four-month stall in intra-Afghan talks in Doha, claiming scores of civilians’ lives and that of the warring parties.
The negotiations teams of the government and the Taliban finalized a procedure for substantive negotiations which is yet to resume.
