Afghan Forces Suffer Heavy Casualties Near the Tajikistan Border

Afghan forces are believed to have suffered heavy losses in a joint attack by the Taliban militants in the northern Kunduz province near the Tajikistan Border. This was reported by Khaama Press News Agency.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Nematullah Temori confirmed that the Taliban militia have launched a coordinated attack in Dashti Archi district. The spokesman further stated that heavy encounter is still going on between the Taliban and the Afghan armed forces.

Unconfirmed reports indicate at least thirty Afghan soldiers lost their lives in the attack and at least 17 others sustained injuries. Though, another official, talking on the condition of anonymity, said at least sixty soldiers have been killed or injured in the Taliban attack. The source further reckoned that the attack was carried out by the militants belonging to the red unit of the Taliban militia.

Kunduz is among the relatively volatile provinces in North of Afghanistan but the security of the province has sharply declined during the recent years amid continuing attempts by the Taliban militants to expand the insurgency in northern provinces.

Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, the radical terrorist organization – Afghan Taliban seized the Dashti-Kala district of the Afghan province of Takhar, which is located near the Tajikistan border.  Takhar Province is located in the northeast of Afghanistan close to Tajikistan border. It is surrounded by Badakhshan in the east, Panjshir in the south, and Baghlan and Kunduz in the west. The main inhabitants of Takhar province are Tajik 60% and Uzbeks 35%.