The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has deployed hundreds of commando forces in Badakhshan to push back the Taliban militants who have reportedly made large territorial advances over past few days in the province.
Media office of Badakhshan governor confirmed to Kabul Now on Sunday, July 04, the commando forces have arrived in Faizabad, capital city of Badakhshan.
This comes as the Taliban are increasingly ousting districts in the northeastern province and posing a threat against Faizabad. The militants have overrun nearly 10 districts just over past few days. Now, local residents in the provincial capital are concerned about a possible attack of the militants.
The commandos and the local mobilized militias will launch a large-scale clearance operation against the Taliban to protect the lives and properties of Badakhshan residents, the MoD said in a statement.
Ahmad Bashir Samim, Badakhshan governor, however, assured residents of Faizabad that security and defense forces would protect the city. He urged people not to worry and to get on with their daily lives.
The ministry added it has deployed sufficient number of troops to protect the people of Badakhshan against the Taliban attacks.
Over 1,000 security forces escape to Tajikistan
On the other hand, there are reports that more than 1,000 Afghan defense and security forces have escaped the Taliban attacks in the province and crossed the border into Tajikistan.
“During the armed clashes with the Taliban, 1,037 servicemen of the Afghan governmental forces, in order to save the lives of their personnel, retreated and entered into Tajikistan,” the National Information Agency of Tajikistan (NIAT) Khovar reported. These Afghan soldiers fled to Tajikistan over the last night, July 04.
The state news agency of Tajikistan added these Afghan forces were allowed to cross into Tajik territory considering the principle of good neighborliness.
Farangis Najibullah, a Tajik-American journalist for the Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, said in a tweet that a total of 1,582 Afghan soldiers have so far sought refuge in Tajikistan.
Previously, the Tajik media had reported hundreds of Afghan soldiers sought refuge in Tajikistan as a result of the Taliban attacks but later Balkh governor rejected the reports.
