Taliban militants killed 24 members of the local security forces
KABUL, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A group of Taliban militants killed 12 members of the local security forces in the country’s western Herat province, officials said.
The forces were having dinner on Friday evening when three Taliban militants opened fire on them in Ghoriyan district, local councillors Torylai Tahiri and Sardar Bahaduri told dpa.
The militants then took their weapons and fled the area, the officials said.
According to the councillors, Ghoriyan is among the most volatile districts of the province, where most areas are Taliban-controlled.
In the capital Kabul on Saturday morning, two police officers were killed and another was wounded when a magnetic bomb attached to their vehicle went off, Kabul police said.
No group has claimed the Kabul explosion, but the government blames the Taliban for such attacks.
Earlier on Friday, militants killed at least 10 members of the Afghan security forces and wounded another 11 in northern Kunduz province.
Despite ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha since mid-September, violence has continued in Afghanistan. The Taliban has so far refused to accept a ceasefire.
The talks are aimed at ending decades of war, but there has been no breakthrough.
The United States is due to complete the withdrawal of another 2,500 troops from the country based on a deal signed with the Taliban last year.
The deal paved the way for a gradual withdrawal of all international forces from Afghanistan. In return, the Taliban committed to renounce violence and enter into talks with the government. — NNN-AGENCIES
