Hundreds of Taliban fighters storm check posts in Afghan border region – By Darryl Coote (UPI) / April 5 2019
Some 500 Taliban fighters stormed a government compound in Badghis province, killing at least 50 Afghan security personnel. Photo by Jawad Jalali/EPA-EFE
April 5 (UPI) — At least 50 members of the Afghan security and police forces were killed or wounded in ongoing combat with hundreds of Taliban fighters in Badghis province, officials said.
Some 500 Taliban fighters overran several check posts in the Bala Murghad district Thursday, Western Badghis provincial council head Abdul Aziz Beg said, Bloomberg reported.
In a Ministry of Defense statement, the attack was launched at around 12:30 a.m., adding that heavy clashes continue and additional ground and air support was deployed.
In a statement, the Taliban said it had gained control of a number of check posts in the district, Afghanistan’s Tolo News reported.
In early March, the Taliban attacked the district, killing more than two dozen security forces members.
The latest attacks are part of its yearly spring offensive, despite ongoing peace talks with the United States.
On March 12, the United States and the Taliban had reached a draft agreement on counter-terrorism assurances.
“It’s clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides,” U.S. presidential envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Twitter following the agreement on the draft proposal.
