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Roundup: Afghan forces kill 44 militants within day: officials

Xinhua, November 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

Afghan conflicts have claimed 44 lives of Taliban fighters in the southern Helmand and northern Kunduz provinces on Sunday, officials said.

In the latest conflict which happened in Taliban former stronghold the southern Helmand province, 30 insurgents have been killed, provincial police chief Nabi Jan Mullahkhil said.

"Scores of Taliban militants stormed highway police checkpoints on Helmand-Kandahar highway in Nahr-e-Saraj district at 10:00 a.m. local time today which triggered heavy gun battle and lasted till 03:00 p.m. local time leaving 30 insurgents dead, forcing others to flee," Mullahkhil told Xinhua.

Only one police constable sustained injuries in the firefight, which lasted for five hours, said the official.

Crackdown against militants would continue until peace and security return to the area, the police chief said.

The militants, according to the official, were attempting to block the road linking Helmand provincial capital Lashkar Gah to Kandahar but police foiled their design.

In a similar clash on the same day which flared up in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province, 14 militants were killed.

"Security forces launched operations against Taliban hideouts in Nahr-e-Kohna village of Dasht-e-Archi district early Sunday and so far 14 rebels including Mullah Shakib the Taliban shadowy governor of the district have been killed," district governor Nasrudin Saadi told Xinhua.

Dasht-e-Archi had served as Taliban bastion in Kunduz and adjoining Baghlan and Takhar provinces from where the militants organized their offensives against government interests.

Government forces after recapturing Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city in mid October stormed Taliban bastion in Dasht-e-Archi and captured it.

The security forces, according to Saadi, are chasing militants in the villages of Dasht-e-Archi and neighboring Chardara district to ensure lasting peace there.

Taliban militants who have captured few districts over the past couple of months and have been attempting to consolidate their positions before the snowfall in the mountainous country haven't commented. Enditem