KABUL, Sept 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – Government forces, in crackdown against Taliban fighters, recaptured Jaghatu district, in the eastern Ghazni province, while the armed militants set on fire, headquarters of Darqad district, in the northern Takhar province, officials said, Sunday.
In efforts to shrink Taliban’s territory, government forces launched well-coordinated offensives against the militants, in parts of the relatively troubled Ghazni province, a couple of weeks ago, and in a major achievement, regained control of Jaghatu district, provincial governor’s spokesman, Aref Nuri, said.
According to Nuri, eight militants were killed, 11 others wounded and nine more have been arrested.
Nuri also asserted that the security forces had evicted the armed militants from seven villages in neighbouring Rashidan district, over the past two days.
The ongoing operations will last until all the insurgents are cleared in the restive province, official said.
Local observers believe that, retaking Jaghatu district would facilitate the security forces to target the militants in Ajristan and Malistan districts.
Meanwhile, Taliban militants, obviously in a tit-for-tat response, set fire to the headquarters of Darqad district, in the northern Takhar province, on Saturday night.
Commenting on the situation in Darqad, Mohammad Jawad Hajari, spokesman for Takhar’s governor said, “Taliban mission is nothing more than destruction” and said, the security forces would regain Darqad district.
Government forces’ onslaught left eight Taliban dead, including a local commander, Mawlawi Gul Ahmad, in Zari district of the northern Balkh province on Saturday night, while a roadside bomb, planted by the Talibans claimed the life of a police and wounded five others, in Arghistan district of the southern Kandahar province, on Sunday, provincial police spokesman Jamal Barikzai said.
Afghan government has been trying to shrink Taliban-controlled territory, ahead of the Sept 28 presidential elections and have recaptured seven districts over the past 10 days.– NNN-XINHUA