Taliban overrun Afghan Army base, kill 17 troops

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Kabul, Aug. 14: The Taliban overran a base in northern Afghanistan, killing 17 soldiers while Afghan forces battled the insurgents for the fifth straight day in the eastern provincial capital of Ghazni on Tuesday, trying to flush them out of the city’s outskirts, officials said.

There were fears for the fate of the other troops from the base, known as Camp Chinaya, as the Taliban claimed that dozens had surrendered to them while others were captured in battle.

Along with the 17 troops killed in the attack in northern Faryab province, in the district of Ghormach, at least 19 soldiers were also wounded,

There were fears for the fate of the other troops from the base, known as Camp Chinaya, as the Taliban claimed that dozens had surrendered to them while others were captured in battle

according to the spokesman for the defense ministry, Ghafoor Ahmad Jawed.

The Taliban had besieged the base, which housed about 140 Afghan troops, for three days before the massive push late on Monday night, said the local provincial council chief, Mohammad Tahir Rahmani.

Mr Rahmani said that the base fell to the Taliban after the soldiers, who had resisted the three- day onslaught, failed to get any reinforcements and ran out of ammunition, food and water. He said that 43 troops were killed and wounded in the attack but didn’t give a breakdown.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, saying 57 Afghan soldiers had surrendered to the Taliban while 17 others were captured in battle. He said eight military Humvees were also seized.

Meanwhile, Afghan security forces on Tuesday pushed back the Taliban from Ghazni.