News / Afghanistan

Afghan forces kill 104 Taliban militants in one day

Sunday, 26 April 2015 6:10 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 26 April 2015 6:16 AM ]

Afghan police forces patrol during an anti-Taliban operation in the Andar district of Ghazni Province on February 4, 2015. © AFP

Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry says security forces have killed 104 members of the Taliban militant group during operations across the country in 24 hours.

The ministry said in a statement released on Saturday that units of police, army and the national directorate for security conducted raids in several provinces.

“Taliban suffered the heaviest casualty in Farah, Helmand, Badghis and Kunduz provinces,” the ministry said.

Among those killed were a number of Taliban commanders, including a senior one identified as Mullah Mir Ahmad.

The statement added that another 89 Taliban militants were also wounded and an additional one arrested by Afghan National Security Forces during the operations.

Separate reports from the northern province of Kunduz said attacks by the Taliban militants and counter attacks have left 25 terrorists, two police officers and one civilian dead.

Taliban launched its so-called annual spring offensive dubbed, “Azm” or “Resolution,” on April 24 against targets described by the group as Afghan government forces as well as foreign embassies.

Afghan Interior Minister Noorul Haq Ulumi and the deputy to Defense Ministry spokesman, Brigadier General Dawlat Waziri, have dismissed the Taliban spring offensive, saying the country’s security forces are capable of foiling the militants’ attacks. “Our enemies don’t have the capability to collapse any province or district,” Waziri said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani expressed concern prior to the offensive about the country’s security issues, predicting a difficult spring regarding the safety of the country.

Afghanistan has been faced with a security challenge years after the United States and its allies invaded the country in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed Taliban from power, but some provinces are still witnessing violence that threatens stability.

At least 13,500 foreign forces remain in Afghanistan despite the end of the US-led combat mission, which occurred on December 31, 2014. The forces, mainly from the United States, are there for what Washington calls a support mission. NATO says the forces will focus mainly on counterterrorism operations and training Afghan soldiers and policemen.

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