KABUL, Jul 20 (NNN-XINHUA) – Fighting between Afghan government forces and the Taliban militants continued last night, amid Afghans’ preparation to celebrate Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which falls today.
In the latest move against the Taliban advances, government forces recaptured Dara-e-Suf Bala district, in northern Samangan province, yesterday, police and army said.
However, the Taliban, in response, overran Dihrawud district, in the southern Uruzgan province, without any casualties reported.
Confirming the fall of the district, Uruzgan’s provincial governor, Mohammad Omar Shirzad, said that, the security forces stationed in Dihrawud, had retreated and reached the provincial capital, Tirin Kot, early yesterday.
In addition to Dihrawud, the Talibans also overran Nijrab, in the eastern Kapisa province and Chakhansur in the western Nimroz province, over the past 24 hours.
Government forces also evicted the militants from Malistan, in eastern Ghazni and Surkhparsa district, in Parwan province, over the period, according to officials.
Taliban fighters, according to security officials, intensified pressures on Taluqan city, the provincial capital of Takhar province, Kunduz city, the provincial capital of Kunduz province, Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzjan province, Kandahar city, the capital of Kandahar province and Ghazni city, the capital of eastern Ghazni province.
A total of 967 militants, according to security officials, have been killed and more than 500 others injured, over the past four days across Afghanistan. However, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, rejected the claim as baseless.
Taliban leader, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, in a message on Eid al-Adha, called for finding political solution for the crisis, and expressed hope for Afghans to celebrate the festival in a peaceful environment.
Afghan Defence Minister, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, in his message on the eve of Eid al-Adha, denounced the ongoing war, saying, “war is not the solution,” and called upon the Taliban to choose for peace, through negotiation.– NNN-XINHUA
