Taliban storm Ghazni city overrunning a police district

The Taliban militants have launched multiple attacks on several security bases and outposts in Ghazni city, local sources confirmed to Kabul Now. Several security outposts and a police district have fallen to the militants, according to the sources.

The militants have attacked security outposts in Qala-e-Amir Mohammad Khan, Pul-e-Haidarabad, Nawabad, Ganj, and Jangal Bagh neighborhoods of the city, a source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

Clashes are underway between the Taliban militants and security forces in these areas, the source added.

According to the source, the militants have attacked three security outposts in Ganj, Sanayee Park, and Qala-e-Amir Mohammad Khan. Sadiq Rahimi, a police officer at the PD1 of the city has been wounded in the Taliban attack.

The Taliban militants set a security outpost in Qala-e-Shahada neighborhood on Saturday, July 10, the source said.

Meanwhile, Nasir Ahmad Faqiri, Chief of Ghazni Provincial Council, confirmed to Kabul Now that the militants have overrun a security outpost in Alberoni Township, a western neighborhood of Ghazni.

He also said that the militants have launched attacks on PD6, in Nawabad neighborhood, adding that intense fighting is currently underway between the militants and security forces stationed inside the PD6.

Meanwhile, the locals complain that the Taliban have entered into residential houses and use civilians’ houses as launching pad against security forces.

Intense fighting is underway between the Taliban and security forces in Nawabad, said Wali Sherzad, a resident of Nawabad neighborhood. He added that as many as seven mortars landed in a residential area in Nawabad this morning, confirming that the mortars were fired by the Taliban.

Dawood Wakili, another resident of Nawabad, added that the Taliban hit the area with mortar fire yesterday as well.

Two policemen were killed and the commander of PD6, Safi Hazara, was wounded in clashes with the Taliban on Thursday night, July 08.

Though a local government source said that the army and commando forces have not stepped into the war in Ghazni city, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed they have.

The Afghan defense and security forces, and commandos while being supported by the Afghan Air Force targeted the Taliban militants in Nawabad, the MoD said in a statement issued today, July 10. As many as 13 Taliban militants were killed and nine others wounded.

The Ministry reiterated that Nawabad will be cleared of the Taliban soon.

Ghazni is a volatile province where the Taliban now control 11 districts of its 19 districts.