Afghan defense and security forces have taken offensive position against the Taliban militants in most parts of the city and recaptured more than 30 fallen districts over the past week, said Ajmal Omar Shinwari, spokesperson for the Afghan Armed Forces.
Speaking at a news conference held in Kabul today, July 26, Shinwari said the defense and security forces are on high alerts in areas under high threats of the militants’ attacks.
According to the security official, the defense and security forces launched 154 clearance operations against the militants over the past week. More than 30 fallen districts including Kaldar district of Balkh province, which was retaken earlier today, have been recaptured in these operations.
1,528 Taliban militants were killed and 801 others wounded during the operations, Shinwari said. He also noted that 16 Taliban militants were arrested as the result of clearance operations.
Moreover, he claimed that the Taliban militants killed 14 civilians and wounded 29 others over the past week. “A large number of public and government facilities were destroyed and set on fire by the Taliban,” he added.
The Taliban, however, has not yet commented on remarks made by Shinwari.
The Taliban has dramatically intensified their attacks across the country in recent months. In less than three months, more than 100 districts have fallen to the Taliban. The Afghan government says the Taliban have committed war crimes in most of the areas under their control. Nearly 400 families were displaced and 100 civilians were shot dead by the Taliban in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Shinwari said. He stressed that the group has done the same in Malistan district of Ghazni province.
