The Afghan elite commando forces have released 34 people including a number of military hostages from a prison run by the Taliban militants in Adraskan district of the western Herat province, Herat governor confirmed.
Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali, the governor for Herat, said the Afghan commandos launched an operation last night, March 02, in Krucha village of Adraskan district and subsequently released the hostages.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed the release of these 34 hostages from a Taliban prison. According to the MoD, the released hostages include 11 army soldiers, seven policemen, three members of the Afghan Air Force, five construction workers, seven civilian servants, and one member of the People Uprising Force – a pro-government militia.
The MoD also claimed that six Taliban militants were killed when they resisted the Afghan commando forces. Herat governor, however, provided a different figure, claiming that 10 Taliban militants were killed during the operation.
The Taliban have not commented in this regard so far.
As per account of the Afghan authorities, the commando forces have released a total of 164 people, including military and civilian personnel, from Taliban-run detention centers in Kunduz, Baghlan, Logar, and Helmand provinces since January 13.