Taliban kill dozens of soldiers despite government ceasefire – By Al Jazeera Newsroom (aljazeera.com) / June 20 2018
The attack comes days after Taliban said they would resume fighting despite Kabul extending Eid ceasefire by 10 days.
Taliban fighters have killed 30 security forces in an ambush on two checkpoints in the western province of Badghis on Wednesday, the provincial governor told the Reuters news agency.
The attack early on Wednesday comes days after the Taliban said they would resume fighting despite President Ashraf Ghani extending the Eid ceasefire by 10 days.
The Taliban did not immediately comment on the attacks.
Provincial Governor Abdul Qafoor Malikzai confirmed the deadly attack.
Abdul Aziz Bek, head of the Badghis provincial council, said one military base was targeted, in the district of Balamerghab.
“Large numbers of Taliban came from several directions,” Bek said. “After hours of heavy fighting 30 Afghan security forces were killed and the Taliban captured the base.”
Fifteen Taliban were killed in other areas of the province overnight, he said, adding that the fighters prepared their attacks and did reconnaissance of the area during their ceasefire.
Preconditions for peace talks
The Taliban’s three-day ceasefire ended on Sunday.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for a blast in Nangarhar province that left at least 36 dead on June 17, bringing the death toll to more than 50 during the ceasefire period.
In the statement on Sunday, the Taliban repeated their preconditions for peace talks, including that they would only negotiate directly with the US and that foreign forces should leave Afghanistan.
Taliban has waged a bloody armed rebellion against Western-backed Afghan government since it was deposed by the US-led NATO forces in 2001.
