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| Afghanistan |
| Kunduz highway reopens |
| 2017-07-08 |
| The Baghlan-Kunduz highway was reopened to traffic on Friday after four days of clashes between government forces and the Taliban, local officials said. Taliban had established check posts in Omarkhail and Madrassa villages in Ali Abad district along the highway, said Sayed Qurban Musawi, executive officer of Pamir 20th Division. The check posts were removed and the Taliban suffered heavy losses in the battle, Musawi added. “At least 23 militants were killed and 13 others were wounded (in the offensive). The security forces have foiled the mines planted on the highway by the insurgents. The highway is opened now,” he stated. Kunduz security officials also said all the villages close to the Baghlan-Kunduz highway have been cleared of militants. “We conducted an operation against their (militants’) check post and killed eight of them. Others escaped. Ten of them are wounded and are in bad condition,” said Alimshah Adib, head of Afghan Public Protection Force in Kunduz. “A military outpost should be established here in order to prevent a comeback by the Taliban,” said Jan Agha, the police chief for Ali Abad district. Kunduz residents their houses were used as strongholds by insurgents in the four-day fighting, leaving damages to houses. Civilian houses in Ali Abad district in Kunduz “Taliban’s stronghold was in this house. There were heavy and light weapons in this house,” said Nazar Mohammad, a resident of Kunduz. The fighting was intense in Madrassa and Omarkhail villages in the past four days compared to other parts of the province, local officials said. The battle in Kunduz started on Sunday when the Taliban attacked security forces’ outpost in parts of the province, including the outskirts of Kunduz city. |
| Posted by:badanov |