13 security personnel killed in Taleban attack

kabul — The Taleban launched an attack early Monday on a newly established joint Afghan army and police checkpoint in eastern Ghazni province, killing at least 13 soldiers and policemen, according to a provincial official.

Afghan reinforcements were subsequently dispatched to the site of the attack in Khogyani district but were repeatedly ambushed along the way. And late on Sunday night, a Taleban attack in Kandahar province killed at least four policemen.

The assaults came as a resurgent Taleban hold nearly half of Afghanistan, with near-daily attacks on security forces. The Taleban view the government in Kabul as a dysfunctional Western puppet and have refused offers to negotiate with it.

Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor in Ghazni, said seven soldiers and six policemen were killed in Monday’s attack on the checkpoint, and four soldiers were wounded.

According to Noori, six insurgents were killed during the ensuing three-hour battle with Afghan forces. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taleban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the Ghazni and Kandahar attack.

The joint army-police checkpoint was set up just two days ago in a strategic area to cut off a key supply route for the Taleban but was now completely burned down and destroyed, Noori said.

“Reinforcements were rushed to assist the forces under attack but they were ambushed by other Taleban fighters at least four times while on their way to the checkpoint,” said Noori. —