Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
September 17, 2018
Taliban attacks across two western Afghan provinces have left at least 12 Afghan police officers dead, officials say.
In the province of Farah, provincial council member Khair Mohammad Noorzai said at least seven Afghan police officers were killed after militants attacked a check post early on September 17.
At least two policemen were also wounded in the fighting in Posht Rod district, adding that the Taliban took all the weapons with them and set fire to the check post.
Fared Bakhtawer, head of Farah Province’s council, said the Taliban fighters launched attacks in other parts of the province, too, and that at least 17 members of the country’s security forces died in the violence.
In Badghis Province, local council member Abdullah Afzali said five policemen, including a police commander, were killed and eight were wounded after the Taliban attacked a number of check posts.
Mohammad Nasir Nazari, another council member, said the whereabouts of eight other police officers were unknown following the overnight firefights in Qala-e Naw district.
Around 22 Taliban fighters were killed and 16 others were wounded during the gunbattle, according to Jamshid Shahabi, spokesman for the Badghis provincial governor.
There were no immediate comments from the Taliban.
Afghan security forces have struggled to counter attacks from both the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO combat troops in 2014.
Based on reporting by AP and dpa