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Updated August 2nd, 2021 at 19:44 IST

Hundreds of commandos deployed as Afghan forces battle Taliban to defend cities

The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces battled the Taliban on Monday to prevent a major city from falling into the hands of the insurgents.

Reported by: Riya Baibhawi
Afghanistan
Image: AP | Image:self
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The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces battled the Taliban on Monday to prevent a major city from falling into the hands of the insurgents. In a major offensive over the weekend, the Islamist Fundamentalist group assaulted at least three major provincial capitals, including Lashkar Gah (Helmand) Kandahar (Kandahar), and Herat (Herat). The escalated violence has prompted the deployment of commandos in the affected region.  

Taliban attacks Lashkar Gah

On the night between Sunday and Monday, the insurgent group unleashed coordinated attacks on the Lashkar Gah’s city centre and its prison- just hours after the government announced the deployment of hundreds of commandos to the area. According to a report by the Guardian, Afghan forces successfully repelled the attack using both on-ground troops and aerial forces. Fighting has intensified since early May, with the insurgents capitalizing on the final stages of the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces after almost 20 years.

Over 550 insurgents killed

The battle which started with the insurgent group Taliban seeking to re-establish Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan has now escalated to bone-rattling strikes and counter strikes. In the latest development, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANDSF) conducted a joint operation along with the Afghan Air Force (AAF) leading to the elimination of more than 400 terrorists in the past 24 hours. It is imperative to note that the Central Asian country’s military forces have been continuously striking Taliban hideouts since Saturday leading to deaths of tens of fighters, destruction of mass ammunition as well as shelling of multiple terrorist hideouts. 

In the latest update, the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that a total of 455 terrorists were killed while another 232 were wounded in the combative operations. As per the ministry, the troops targeted Afghan camps in the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktia, Paktika, Logar, Kandahar, Herat, Faryab, Jowzjan, Balkh, Samangan, Helmand, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan & Kapisa. Previously, the ministry shared a video of the airstrike that it conducted in Zherai. The six-second video captures the exact moment when the missiles landed on the terrorist camps. 

Image: AP

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Published August 2nd, 2021 at 19:44 IST

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