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Roundup: Afghan conflicts claim 16 lives including army general in 24 hours

Xinhua, March 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Afghan militancy and counter-militancy have claimed 16 lives including an army general over the past 24 hours, officials said Friday.

Taliban militants in offensive against government interests attacked and killed an army general in Taliban former stronghold the southern Kandahar province Thursday night, spokesman for Kandahar provincial government Samim Khapalwak said.

"Two armed militants sprayed bullets on General Khan Agha Achakzai, the deputy to 205 Corps in the southern region on Thursday night killing him along with one of his bodyguards on the spot and injuring his son," Khapalwak told Xinhua.

The army general, the official said was coming out of the mosque next to his residence in Dand district Thursday night when two armed militants opened fire and killed him along with one of his bodyguards on spot.

Khapalwak added that both the attackers were killed in the firefight which lasted for a while.

Meantime, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, in contact with media claimed responsibility, saying two suicide bombers targeted General Achakzai Thursday night killing him along with a few of his bodyguards.

Similarly, the government forces in crackdown against Taliban insurgents in the northern Kunduz province had killed 12 armed Taliban fighters, provincial government spokesman Abdul Wasi Basil said Friday.

"The government forces stormed Taliban hideout along Shir Khan road late Thursday night and killed 12 rebels including a group commander Qari Amir," Basil told Xinhua.

He also contended that 10 more militants have been injured in the firefight which is sporadically continuing.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in contact with media disputed the government's claim and insisted all the 12 people killed in the conflict are government soldiers, a claim spurned by Basil as groundless.

Both the government forces and Taliban militants, according to local observers, would intensify activities with the coming of spring in the conflict-ridden country. Endit