Kabul, April 17, (dpa/GNA) – At least seven members of the pro-government forces were killed in overnight attacks by the Taliban in two Afghan provinces, officials confirmed on Saturday.
In western Herat province, three policemen were killed after a car bomb targeted their checkpoint in the Zinda Jan district of the province on Friday night, provincial Governor Wahid Qatali told dpa on Saturday.
Eight civilians including children were wounded in the explosion, Qatali added.
In the country’s northern Takhar province, four pro-government force members were killed and five others wounded in an overnight attack by the Taliban on their checkpoint on the outskirts of the provincial capital Taloqan, a security source, who wished not to be named, told dpa.
In the meantime, the Afghan Defence Ministry announced on Saturday that the army has freed 20 soldiers and policemen from a Taliban jail in the country’s southern Zabul province by conducting a military operation.
The daily violence continues in Afghanistan despite fragile peace talks between representatives of the warring sides in the Qatari city of Doha since September.
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by September 11. NATO also announced the end of its mission in Afghanistan.
There are currently about 10,000 soldiers from NATO and its partner countries in Afghanistan, supporting the democratically elected government by training and advising the security forces in their fight against Islamist extremists such as the Taliban.
Experts predict a devastating civil war if the warring sides fail to reach a political agreement before the complete withdrawal of the international forces from the country.
GNA