Bloody Afghan spring on cards

Taliban launch annual offensive, named after group’s slain leader Mansour

Kabul, April 28: The Afghan Taliban launched their “spring offensive” on Friday, heralding fresh fighting in the drawn-out conflict as embattled security forces struggle to recover from a devastating attack on a military base a week ago.

Operation Mansouri — named after the group’s former leader, killed in a US drone strike in 2016 — will target foreign forces with “conventional attacks, guerrilla warfare, complex martyrdom attacks, insider attacks”, an insurgent statement said. “The enemy will be targeted, harassed, killed or captured until they abandon their last posts,” it added.

The annual spring offensive normally marks the start of the “fighting season”, though this winter the Taliban continued to battle government forces, most successfully in last week’s attack on the military base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

The massacre last Friday saw insurgents armed with guns and suicide bombs slaughter at least 135 young recruits, according to the official toll, though multiple sources have claimed it is much higher.

The assault is believed to be the deadliest by the Taliban on an Afghan military target since they were driven from power in 2001. The defence minister and Army Chief have resigned, and at least 35 soldiers have been arrested over the incident.

Already beset by killings, desertions, and struggles over leadership and morale, Afghan forces have been straining to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

They faced soaring casualties in 2016, up by 35 percent with 6,800 soldiers and police killed, according to a US watchdog. With more than one third of Afghanistan outside government control, civilians including children continue to bear a heavy brunt.

Afghanistan’s interior ministry shrugged off the Taliban threats Friday, saying the offensive was “not something new”. “We will target, kill, defeat and suppress the Taliban... all across the country,” acting ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

The Taliban statement said they would focus on state-building and “establishing mechanisms for social justice and development” in the areas under their control.