Over a dozen militants and security personnel have been killed as a clash erupted in Faizabad district of northern Afghanistan’s Jawzjan province on Tuesday, deputy to provincial police chief Abdul Hafiz Khashi said Wednesday. The clash, according to the official, erupted late Tuesday night after pro-government militia forces attacked Taliban positions in Haider Abad area of Faizabad district late Tuesday night, killing “over a dozen Taliban fighters” on the spot.
Khashi
also confirmed that only one pro-government militia lost his life in
the firefight. Over a dozen others including six pro-government militia
have also been injured in the fighting. The security forces would
continue to chase Taliban militants in the restive area to ensure viable
peace in Faizabad district and its vicinity, the official contended.
Meanwhile,
up to 22 militants have been killed as the government forces have been
targeting Taliban positions in Chardara district of the northern Kunduz
province since Tuesday, said Abdul Hadi, the deputy to Pamir 20 Corps
here on Wednesday.
The government
forces, according to the official, have pounded Taliban hideouts and
positions in several villages of Chardara district during which six more
insurgents sustained injuries.
Without
providing information on the casualties of security personnel, the
official contended “No civilian has been hurt” in the ongoing
operations.
Disputing
the claim, Mohammad Ashraf, a resident of Nahr-e-Sufi village, has
claimed that an airstrike targeted residential area killing two women
civilians and injuring eight others. Taliban militants are yet to make
comments on the situation.