By Ayesha Tanzeem
VOA News | May 11, 2020
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – At least six members of Afghan National Army were killed, and five others wounded in a Taliban attack in Laghman province in eastern Afghanistan Sunday night, according to Afghan ministry of defense.
However, a government source who did not want to be named said the number killed was 10 while seven were wounded, and local residents say 11 ANA members were killed and nine wounded.
The defense ministry statement said Afghan forces repulsed the attack in Alishing district and caused the Taliban heavy casualties, but the government source said at least 10 Afghan army Humvees were also destroyed in the attack.
Locals say the army was putting up a new post in village. The Taliban attacked after the army had spent the night constructing the post and deploying new forces.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed the attack in a statement to journalists.
Meanwhile, the capital Kabul experienced at least six explosions, two Sunday night, without casualties, and four Monday morning.
Ferduz Farmurz, a spokesman for the Kabul police, told journalists four civilians including a child were slightly wounded in the morning explosions.
At least one of the morning explosions targeted an Afghan security forces convoy. The last explosion happened when security forces were already at the scene investigating.
The violence happened days after a high-level United States team led by Zalmay Khalilzad, the man responsible for negotiating a deal with Taliban, toured the region and met both the Taliban in Doha and Pakistan’s army chief in Islamabad to push for reduction in violence.
“Lengthy meeting overnight with Mullah Baradar & his team in Doha. We sought progress on a range of topics: a reduction in violence, humanitarian ceasefire as demanded by the international community to allow for better cooperation on managing COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan…” Khalilzad Tweeted on May 7.
A day later, after meeting Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, he issued a statement saying he “sought Pakistan’s support in pressing for a reduction in violence” as well as Pakistan’s “assistance in helping obtain the freedom of American Mark Frerichs.”
In a message to Associated Press news agency Sunday, Taliban spokesman in Doha Suhail Shaheen said the militant group is not holding the American contractor, who disappeared in Afghanistan in January.
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