Roundup: Afghan forces recapture district, Taliban kill 25 civilians

Afghan security forces in latest crackdown on Taliban militants recaptured Kohistanat district in northern Saripul province on Friday, local media reported.

The government forces led by the first Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum have regained control of Kohistanat district in Saripul province, forcing militants to flee, the media said.

General Dostum, in talks with local media on Friday, called upon Taliban militants to lay down arms or face death.

Dostum, who had spent nearly a month in the neighboring Faryab province to wipe out the Taliban militants, has also expressed readiness to take the war against Taliban militants in northern Kunduz province if the president of the country allows.

Hundreds of Taliban militants gave up fighting and handed over their weapons to security forces during Dostum's tour to Faryab, according to local officials.

However, just days after the departure of Dostum to the neighboring Saripul province, the hardliner insurgents stormed Astana village in Shirin Tagab district and after recapturing it have murdered over two dozen civilians including women and children.

"Taliban militants stormed Astana village in Shirin Tagab district and have massacred 25 innocent civilians including women and children over the past two days," Tahir Rahmani, deputy to provincial council told Xinhua.

Taliban militants fighting the government to regain power have yet to make comments.

In another development, clashes between security forces and Taliban militants Friday morning in Ashkashim district of Badakhshan province with Faizabad as its capital 315 km northeast of Kabul, claimed the lives of three insurgents and injured two others, spokesman for provincial government, Ahmad Nawed Frotan told Xinhua. Endi