Taliban cause Afghan troops ‘heavy casualties’

Military launches air and ground operation to repel militants after several bases targeted

Taliban attacks on Afghan security forces in the country’s north have caused “heavy casualties”, officials said yesterday, putting the number of soldiers killed at as high as 40 as fighting continues.

Militants using night-vision goggles launched simultaneous raids on several Afghan military bases and posts in Dashte Archi district in Kunduz province overnight, defence ministry spokesperson Mohammad Radmanish and other Afghan security sources told AFP.

“We have suffered casualties, the Taliban have also suffered casualties,” Radmanish said.

Between 10 and 15 Afghan soldiers had been killed so far, and about the same number wounded, he added. But an Afghan security source told AFP that the death toll among security forces was “more than 40”, and another confirmed that 39 had been killed and 10 wounded.

A separate security source said there had been “heavy casualties” among the soldiers.

An air and ground operation against the Taliban was under way, Radmanish said.

The night-vision goggles helped the Taliban fighters execute their pre-dawn attack, a senior Afghan commander told AFP. “Since we don’t have the night vision [goggles], the Taliban can get close to soldiers without them noticing,” he said.

The latest attacks come as Afghan President Ashraf Gani attends a Nato summit in Brussels where he will be hoping to get a greater commitment from members to the nearly 17-year conflict.