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Roundup: Afghan Taliban's offensive in October incurs heavy losses

Xinhua, October 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

The month of October has proved difficult for Taliban militants in Afghanistan as its plan to capture the strategically important Kunduz city was foiled by government forces and it also lost its main bastion in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province.

Taliban militants in a bold attack overrun Kunduz city, the capital of Kunduz province bordering Tajikistan on Sept. 29. But the government forces backed by the U.S. military regained the city after 12 days of heavy fighting, forcing Taliban militants to retreat to their main bastion Dasht-e-Archi district.

Although there is no detailed statistics about casualties on the rival sides in Kunduz, according to Afghan deputy chief of army staff General Murad Ali Murad who is leading the cleanup operations in Kunduz, hundreds of Taliban insurgents have been killed and hundreds of others injured during the cleanup operations in the city.

However, acting governor of Kunduz province Hamdullah Daneshi in talks with reporters confirmed on Thursday that 163 civilians had been killed and some 1,300 others injured in the battle for control of Kunduz city.

Director of public health in Kunduz province Saad Mukhtar confirmed that 1,520 injured people had been taken to hospital since Taliban offensive on Kunduz city. Of these, 1,300 are civilians and the remaining are security personnel.

Following recapturing Kunduz city, the Afghan security forces continued operations and have evicted Taliban militants from their bastion in Dasht-e-Archi district, Kunduz province, General Murad said Thursday, vowing to chase militants elsewhere in Kunduz and adjoining provinces.

Militants loyal to the Taliban outfit have intensified activities elsewhere in Afghanistan in October in a bid to consolidate their positions ahead of snowfall in the mountainous country, Afghan observers say.

The militants after losing ground in Kunduz province have made advance in the neighboring Takhar province and captured Darqad district along the border with Tajikistan few days ago and the government forces have yet to launch counter-offensive.

Taliban has also gained grounds in Jurm district of Badakhshan province in October.

However, security officials in the southern Helmand province reported inflicting huge casualties including killing and injuring 70 Taliban fighters and evicting militants from Gereshk district on Saturday, the last day of October.

Up to 30 more Taliban fighters have been killed and injured in the eastern Nuristan province since Friday, provincial governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum said Saturday. Enditem