Press TV / November 03, 2015

Afghan forces have regained control of a district in the southern province of Zabul from Taliban following heavy clashes with members of the militant group there.

Ahmad Khalid Safi, the provincial governor’s spokesman, said Afghan troops wrested control of the Atghar district, which lies 90 kilometers (55 miles) southeast of the provincial capital city of Qalat city, on Monday evening.

Safi added that a new district chief had been appointed, and efforts are underway to resume state operations in the restive area.

Ghazi Mohammad Zargai, a resident of the district, called on the government to quickly implement development projects in Atghar, particularly health centers and schools, urging security personnel to ward off Taliban terrorists.

The Taliban had taken control of Atghar district almost six months ago after intense fighting with Afghan government forces.

Meanwhile, Afghan forces have killed three dozen Taliban militants and wounded a number of others in a series of clean-up operations across the strife-torn country over the past 24 hours.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that 36 militants were killed, four injured and three others arrested in a series of operations carried out in the provinces of Badakhshan, Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Kunduz, Logar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Takhar and Urozgan.

The statement, however, did not provide any information about potential casualties among soldiers and security forces.

Afghan soldiers also confiscated light and heavy weaponry and defused several rounds of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Afghanistan is gripped by insecurity 14 years after the United States and its allies attacked the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.