406 Taliban militants killed, over 200 wounded in multiple operations by Afghan forces
At least 406 Taliban militants were killed in the last 24 hours in multiple operations conducted by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), the Afghan MoD tweeted.
ANDSF’s operations in Nangarhar, Lagman, Ghazni, Paktia, Khost, Kandahar, Zabul, Herat, Jowjan, Balkh, Samgan, Faryab, Sar-e Pol, Helmand, Takhar resulted in 406 Taliban militants killed and over 200 injured . Baglan and Kapisa provinces during the last 24 hours.
Last week heavy fighting broke out between Taliban and Afghan forces in the capital Helmand province. The ministry said Mawlawi Mubarak, the Taliban’s Red Unit commander for Helmand, was among those killed in recent operations.
Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman tweeted: “Taliban Red Unit Commander Mawlawi Mubarak for Helmand along with 94 other terrorists including Taliban and AQIS members were killed and 16 others injured.”
Over the past few weeks, Afghanistan has seen an escalation in violence as the Taliban intensified their offensive against civilians and Afghan security forces, and a complete withdrawal of foreign forces in a matter of weeks.
Taliban forces have also captured several districts of Kandahar and detained hundreds of residents, whom they accuse of being linked to the government. The Taliban have reportedly killed some of the detainees, including relatives of provincial government officials and members of the police and military.
In another recent development, civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit a record high in the first half of 2021, with more than 1,659 dead and 3,254 injured. The escalation is mainly due to an increase in violence in May which coincides with the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
In addition, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that they would continue their attacks on Afghan officials following a car bomb attack on the home of the country’s acting Defense Minister General Bismillah Mohammadi.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will meet under the Indian chairmanship on Friday, August 6 to discuss the escalation of violence by the Taliban in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.
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