Afghanistan's special forces repelled an assault on Saturday on the country's northern city of Kunduz, which was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-attack-afghan-city-of-kunduz-officials-246788">attacked by the Taliban movement </a>earlier in the day, acting Defence Minister Asadullah Khalid said.

Earlier in the day, the Taliban said that they had attacked Kunduz, killing at least 10 Afghan national police officers. The Afghan Defense Ministry's spokesman, Rohullah Ahmadzai, confirmed the attack, saying government forces were fighting back.

"The Taliban attack in #Kunduz has been repelled," Khalid said, as quoted by the TOLO news agency, adding that government forces had regained control of the city.

Additionally, the media outlet said, citing the Afghan National Directorate of Security, that at least 35 Taliban militants, including a key commander, were killed as a result of the military operation in Kunduz.

Conflict-struck Afghanistan has been long torn by fighting between government troops and the Taliban, who are currently negotiating a peace deal with the United States.

Afghanistan's special forces repelled an assault on Saturday on the country's northern city of Kunduz, which was attacked by the Taliban movement earlier in the day, acting Defence Minister Asadullah Khalid said.

Afghanistan's special forces repelled an assault on Saturday on the country's northern city of Kunduz, which was attacked by the Taliban movement earlier in the day, acting Defence Minister Asadullah Khalid said. Earlier in the day, the Taliban said that they had attacked Kunduz, killing at least 10 Afghan national police officers. The Afghan Defense Ministry's spokesman, Rohullah Ahmadzai, confirmed the attack, saying government forces were fighting back. "The Taliban attack in #Kunduz has been repelled," Khalid said, as quoted by the TOLO news agency, adding that government forces had regained control of the city. Additionally, the media outlet said, citing the Afghan National Directorate of Security, that at least 35 Taliban militants, including a key commander, were killed as a result of the military operation in Kunduz. Conflict-struck Afghanistan has been long torn by fighting between government troops and the Taliban, who are currently negotiating a peace deal with the United States.

Afghan forces regain control of Kunduz after Taliban attack: Defence minister

Afghan government forces mistakenly killed seven civilians, including children, in an attack on militants south of the capital, a provincial official said on Monday, the latest victims of a war undiminished by peace talks.

Government forces, have been facing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-taliban-us-violence-for-upper-hand-in-afghan-deal-237189">Taliban</a> attacks across much of the country, and have responded with airstrikes aimed at killing insurgent leaders, even as US and Afghan representatives have been negotiating with the militants in Qatar.

The seven civilians, including women and children, were killed in Logar province, just south of Kabul, on Sunday night said Hasib Stanekzai, a member of Logar's provincial council. Six people were wounded, he said.

Provincial police confirmed the attack on militants by government forces but said they were investigating the casualties.

"According to our initial information a number of militants were killed or wounded, but local people gathered in the area, claiming that a house belonging to a Kuchi family had been bombed, causing civilian casualties," said Shahpor Ahmadzai, a spokesman for Logar police.

Kuchi is nomadic herders, but some now live in permanent settlements.

Ahmadzai, who said police were investigating, also said foreign force was involved in the attack on the militants. Officials with Afghanistan's NATO force were not immediately available to confirm or deny their involvement in the operation.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-has-no-military-solution-says-pakistan-prime-minister-imran-khan-in-us-diaspora-address-237567&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjKiM2hvsjjAhUIPo8KHbTxBNIQFjAAegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw13XcLzzXPbUvinqsOphqlU">Afghan forces</a>, backed by US advisers, have in recent months stepped up their airstrikes and raids to the highest levels since 2014.

The latest phase of Afghanistan's war - which began when US-backed forces overthrew the Taliban following September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States - has intensified despite the most sustained peace talks of the war.

The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern about civilian casualties, which reached their highest level last year since detailed accounting began nearly a decade ago.

The war claimed 3,804 civilian lives in 2018, that included 927 children, both figures all-time highs, representing an 11% increase in civilian deaths compared with 2017, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in February.

Afghan government forces mistakenly killed seven civilians, including children, in an attack on militants south of the capital, a provincial official said on Monday, the latest victims of a war undiminished by peace talks.

Afghan government forces mistakenly killed seven civilians, including children, in an attack on militants south of the capital, a provincial official said on Monday, the latest victims of a war undiminished by peace talks. Government forces, have been facing Taliban attacks across much of the country, and have responded with airstrikes aimed at killing insurgent leaders, even as US and Afghan representatives have been negotiating with the militants in Qatar. The seven civilians, including women and children, were killed in Logar province, just south of Kabul, on Sunday night said Hasib Stanekzai, a member of Logar's provincial council. Six people were wounded, he said. Provincial police confirmed the attack on militants by government forces but said they were investigating the casualties. "According to our initial information a number of militants were killed or wounded, but local people gathered in the area, claiming that a house belonging to a Kuchi family had been bombed, causing civilian casualties," said Shahpor Ahmadzai, a spokesman for Logar police. Kuchi is nomadic herders, but some now live in permanent settlements. Ahmadzai, who said police were investigating, also said foreign force was involved in the attack on the militants. Officials with Afghanistan's NATO force were not immediately available to confirm or deny their involvement in the operation. Afghan forces, backed by US advisers, have in recent months stepped up their airstrikes and raids to the highest levels since 2014. The latest phase of Afghanistan's war - which began when US-backed forces overthrew the Taliban following September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States - has intensified despite the most sustained peace talks of the war. The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern about civilian casualties, which reached their highest level last year since detailed accounting began nearly a decade ago. The war claimed 3,804 civilian lives in 2018, that included 927 children, both figures all-time highs, representing an 11% increase in civilian deaths compared with 2017, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in February.

Afghan forces kill seven civilians in attack on militants

Five terrorists were killed and four others sustained injuries in an exchange of fire between Afghan forces and Taliban in the country's northern province of Takhar on Sunday.

Army spokesperson Abdul Hadi Jamal said that the armed clashes broke out on Sunday morning in the Chahab district of the province.

Three security personnel also sustained injuries in the incident, reported Xinhua news agency.

There was no immediate comment from the Taliban regarding the operation.

Afghanistan is facing an unstable political and security situation due to the activities of the Taliban and the Islamic State.

The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) frequently conduct joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country. 
&nbsp;

Five terrorists were killed and four others sustained injuries in an exchange of fire between Afghan forces and Taliban in the country's northern province of Takhar on Sunday.

Five terrorists were killed and four others sustained injuries in an exchange of fire between Afghan forces and Taliban in the country's northern province of Takhar on Sunday. Army spokesperson Abdul Hadi Jamal said that the armed clashes broke out on Sunday morning in the Chahab district of the province. Three security personnel also sustained injuries in the incident, reported Xinhua news agency. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban regarding the operation. Afghanistan is facing an unstable political and security situation due to the activities of the Taliban and the Islamic State. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) frequently conduct joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country.

5 Taliban terrorists killed by Afghan forces in Takhar province

Afghan forces on Monday killed at least 12 commanders belonging to the Haqqani Network <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/300-let-terrorists-active-in-afghanistan-pentagon-221224">terror group</a> in an operation in Khost province in eastern Afghanistan, the country`s intelligence agency said.&nbsp;

In a statement, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said that the operation took place in Sabari district in the province, TOLO news reported.&nbsp;

The Haqqani commanders were involved in terror activities in Khost province. While one member was injured, three others were arrested during the operation, the NDS said.&nbsp;

Security forces recovered a huge number of weapons and explosives, the agency added.

&nbsp;The Haqqani Network is widely believed to have links with the Taliban and is active in Khost, Paktia and Paktika, all located in the eastern part Afghanistan.&nbsp;

In the past several years, government forces, Taliban and other terror outfits have been involved in armed confrontations, even as peace efforts are underway to end the nearly-two decades-long civil war in Afghanistan.

&nbsp;The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) regularly conduct joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across war-torn Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Afghan forces on Monday killed at least 12 commanders belonging to the Haqqani Network terror group in an operation in Khost province in eastern Afghanistan, the country`s intelligence agency said.

Afghan forces on Monday killed at least 12 commanders belonging to the Haqqani Network terror group in an operation in Khost province in eastern Afghanistan, the country`s intelligence agency said. In a statement, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said that the operation took place in Sabari district in the province, TOLO news reported. The Haqqani commanders were involved in terror activities in Khost province. While one member was injured, three others were arrested during the operation, the NDS said. Security forces recovered a huge number of weapons and explosives, the agency added. The Haqqani Network is widely believed to have links with the Taliban and is active in Khost, Paktia and Paktika, all located in the eastern part Afghanistan. In the past several years, government forces, Taliban and other terror outfits have been involved in armed confrontations, even as peace efforts are underway to end the nearly-two decades-long civil war in Afghanistan. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) regularly conduct joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across war-torn Afghanistan.

12 Haqqani Network commanders killed in Afghanistan

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-president-ghani-urges-taliban-to-accept-ramadan-ceasefire-offer-216621">Zabihullah Mujahid</a>, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US&nbsp;and Afghan forces.&nbsp;

Mujahid says he gets his team of writers to cross-check facts shared by some of the hardline Islamist group's fighters, who double as reporters in the 34 provinces across the country. The writers prepare press statements in five languages and gather footage and photographs shot on smartphones.

The editor-in-chief then approves final drafts of the reports - highlighting the group's claimed victories in its war aimed at toppling the US-backed Afghan government - before they are published by IT specialists based outside the country.

While some Afghan journalists say its accuracy is patchy, and its opponents accuse it of spreading "fake news", the Taliban's slick media operation has emerged as a key weapon in the information war that often leaves the Western-backed government and its US partners struggling to catch up.

Last month, for example, the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia"> Taliban </a>was swift to deny involvement in a suicide attack on the communications ministry in Kabul later blamed on Islamic State, while information from the government was slower to emerge.

Taliban spokesmen say they have also stepped up their outreach as the pace of direct talks between its negotiators and the United States on ending the war in Afghanistan has picked up in recent months. They are often quicker than US officials to give their read-out from the talks - the sixth round of which wrapped up in Qatar on Thursday.

"Whatever developments occur during the Doha talks, we share it with journalists," said Mujahid, adding that the messages were aimed at domestic and international audiences.&nbsp;

Online presence

Mujahid and his colleague Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, two Taliban spokesmen based in Afghanistan, say they are authorized to interact with journalists, issue statements and tweet. They generally respond to text or voice messages from Reuters correspondents based in Kabul within an hour.

While their location cannot be verified, they use Afghan phone numbers to access WhatsApp. The names they use are pseudonyms assigned to them by the Taliban leadership.

"We are not authorised to reveal our real names, the two pen names are used to retain uniformity," Mujahid, who has more than 42,000 Twitter followers, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

In 2011, the Taliban leadership started posting regularly on Twitter, a surprise move by the radical Islamist movement that once banned most forms of modern entertainment.

They now communicate on messaging apps WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram in English, Pashto, Dari, Arabic and Urdu.

"We understand the importance of spreading information about our jihad and our determination to re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan," said Mujahid, who says he draws a monthly salary of 14,000 Afghani ($180), plus $128 for internet and mobile expenses.&nbsp;

"Now many diplomats from various countries seek an audience with our leaders and follow us on social media," he added.

"After 17 years of struggle, we are winning the actual war and the digital war against infidels and the puppet regime established by the Americans to govern Afghanistan."

Afghan and Western officials dispute both statements. Government forces and their military allies, they say, are inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban on the battlefield, and continue to launch air strikes to destroy their camps. The Taliban`s media operation is dismissed as misinformation.

"Their false claims and exaggerated reports have reached an absurd style beyond any reason," said Colonel Knut Peters, the spokesman for NATO-led Resolute Support in Afghanistan, who closely tracks Taliban statements.

"They are obviously trying to boost their own self-confidence while their fighters are dying in large numbers."

Since October, US and Taliban officials have held talks aimed at preparing the ground for US forces to withdraw from Afghanistan in return for a Taliban guarantee that the country will not be used as a base for militant attacks elsewhere.

In recent months, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected calls to declare a ceasefire, and instead intensified their attacks on Afghan forces and government offices.

Taliban newsroom

Afghan journalists who have been covering the Taliban since the 1990s said before the advent of social media the group sent out hand-written pamphlets and news reports to Afghan reporters based in Pakistan and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Javed Hamim Kakar, a senior editor with Pajhwok Afghan News, the country`s oldest private news agency, said the insurgent group has since created a complex network to disseminate news.

But a tendency to exaggerate casualties inflicted undermines the Taliban news operation`s credibility, he said.

In April, for example, the Taliban reported its fighters had carried out a successful attack on Bagram, the largest US&nbsp;airbase in Afghanistan about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kabul, in which it said dozens of foreign service personnel were killed or wounded.

The US&nbsp;officials in Kabul denied the attack had taken place.&nbsp;

"If you send them a query they respond very fast, but accuracy is always a question. Propaganda is part of fighting, the Taliban are very good at it," Kakar said.

Mujahid and Ahmadi accept there have been numerous instances when they have published unsubstantiated claims of attacks and that sometimes fighters have presented an exaggerated version.

"There are allegations that our communication is rife with sensationalism and embellishment but we never abandon the truth," said Ahmadi. "We correct it immediately."

The government is also often accused of inflating its battlefield reports. A senior defence official familiar with the situation acknowledged the government often under-reports casualties among Afghan forces, while readily providing numbers for Taliban militants they say they have killed.

There is no independent confirmation of the figures given by either side, making it impossible to fully assess the on-the-ground situation.

The Taliban`s communications operation, which is now run at an annual cost of 25 million Afghanis ($323,000), started out as a small office in Kabul when the Islamists ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 and have expanded since they were ousted.

It now publishes six magazines in Pashto, Dari, Urdu and Arabic, and posts news reports on 10 websites in five languages, as well as operating smaller websites that offer theological guidance, videos, and war poetry written by fighters.

"Despite the threats, we now run an efficient media office," said Ahmadi, a graduate in religious studies. "But maintaining haze around our identity is more crucial now as we are winning and the enemy is getting increasingly frustrated."&nbsp;

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US and Afghan forces.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US and Afghan forces. Mujahid says he gets his team of writers to cross-check facts shared by some of the hardline Islamist group's fighters, who double as reporters in the 34 provinces across the country. The writers prepare press statements in five languages and gather footage and photographs shot on smartphones. The editor-in-chief then approves final drafts of the reports - highlighting the group's claimed victories in its war aimed at toppling the US-backed Afghan government - before they are published by IT specialists based outside the country. While some Afghan journalists say its accuracy is patchy, and its opponents accuse it of spreading "fake news", the Taliban's slick media operation has emerged as a key weapon in the information war that often leaves the Western-backed government and its US partners struggling to catch up. Last month, for example, the Taliban was swift to deny involvement in a suicide attack on the communications ministry in Kabul later blamed on Islamic State, while information from the government was slower to emerge. Taliban spokesmen say they have also stepped up their outreach as the pace of direct talks between its negotiators and the United States on ending the war in Afghanistan has picked up in recent months. They are often quicker than US officials to give their read-out from the talks - the sixth round of which wrapped up in Qatar on Thursday. "Whatever developments occur during the Doha talks, we share it with journalists," said Mujahid, adding that the messages were aimed at domestic and international audiences. Online presence Mujahid and his colleague Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, two Taliban spokesmen based in Afghanistan, say they are authorized to interact with journalists, issue statements and tweet. They generally respond to text or voice messages from Reuters correspondents based in Kabul within an hour. While their location cannot be verified, they use Afghan phone numbers to access WhatsApp. The names they use are pseudonyms assigned to them by the Taliban leadership. "We are not authorised to reveal our real names, the two pen names are used to retain uniformity," Mujahid, who has more than 42,000 Twitter followers, told Reuters in a telephone interview. In 2011, the Taliban leadership started posting regularly on Twitter, a surprise move by the radical Islamist movement that once banned most forms of modern entertainment. They now communicate on messaging apps WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram in English, Pashto, Dari, Arabic and Urdu. "We understand the importance of spreading information about our jihad and our determination to re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan," said Mujahid, who says he draws a monthly salary of 14,000 Afghani ($180), plus $128 for internet and mobile expenses. "Now many diplomats from various countries seek an audience with our leaders and follow us on social media," he added. "After 17 years of struggle, we are winning the actual war and the digital war against infidels and the puppet regime established by the Americans to govern Afghanistan." Afghan and Western officials dispute both statements. Government forces and their military allies, they say, are inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban on the battlefield, and continue to launch air strikes to destroy their camps. The Taliban`s media operation is dismissed as misinformation. "Their false claims and exaggerated reports have reached an absurd style beyond any reason," said Colonel Knut Peters, the spokesman for NATO-led Resolute Support in Afghanistan, who closely tracks Taliban statements. "They are obviously trying to boost their own self-confidence while their fighters are dying in large numbers." Since October, US and Taliban officials have held talks aimed at preparing the ground for US forces to withdraw from Afghanistan in return for a Taliban guarantee that the country will not be used as a base for militant attacks elsewhere. In recent months, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected calls to declare a ceasefire, and instead intensified their attacks on Afghan forces and government offices. Taliban newsroom Afghan journalists who have been covering the Taliban since the 1990s said before the advent of social media the group sent out hand-written pamphlets and news reports to Afghan reporters based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Javed Hamim Kakar, a senior editor with Pajhwok Afghan News, the country`s oldest private news agency, said the insurgent group has since created a complex network to disseminate news. But a tendency to exaggerate casualties inflicted undermines the Taliban news operation`s credibility, he said. In April, for example, the Taliban reported its fighters had carried out a successful attack on Bagram, the largest US airbase in Afghanistan about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kabul, in which it said dozens of foreign service personnel were killed or wounded. The US officials in Kabul denied the attack had taken place. "If you send them a query they respond very fast, but accuracy is always a question. Propaganda is part of fighting, the Taliban are very good at it," Kakar said. Mujahid and Ahmadi accept there have been numerous instances when they have published unsubstantiated claims of attacks and that sometimes fighters have presented an exaggerated version. "There are allegations that our communication is rife with sensationalism and embellishment but we never abandon the truth," said Ahmadi. "We correct it immediately." The government is also often accused of inflating its battlefield reports. A senior defence official familiar with the situation acknowledged the government often under-reports casualties among Afghan forces, while readily providing numbers for Taliban militants they say they have killed. There is no independent confirmation of the figures given by either side, making it impossible to fully assess the on-the-ground situation. The Taliban`s communications operation, which is now run at an annual cost of 25 million Afghanis ($323,000), started out as a small office in Kabul when the Islamists ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 and have expanded since they were ousted. It now publishes six magazines in Pashto, Dari, Urdu and Arabic, and posts news reports on 10 websites in five languages, as well as operating smaller websites that offer theological guidance, videos, and war poetry written by fighters. "Despite the threats, we now run an efficient media office," said Ahmadi, a graduate in religious studies. "But maintaining haze around our identity is more crucial now as we are winning and the enemy is getting increasingly frustrated."

Taliban fighters double as reporters to wage Afghan digital war

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-preparing-to-move-f-35-manufacturing-work-out-of-turkey-215777">Pentagon's acting US Defense Secretary</a> Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles of barriers on the border with Mexico, US official said on Friday, including taking about $600 million in savings from an account meant for Afghan security forces.

The latest move comes on top of a March transfer of $1 billion in military money to fund President Donald Trump's wall, something lawmakers were highly critical of.

"The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness," Shanahan said in a statement.

Shanahan said that the US military had more than 4,000 service members on the border along with 19 aircraft.

A US&nbsp;official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the latest transfer would include $604 million from funds for the Afghan security forces, which are struggling to hold territory against Taliban militants.

The United States had appropriated $4.9 billion in support for Afghan security forces for fiscal year 2019. The official said the money was taken from that account because they found savings in contracts.

"It is not reflective of anything related to our commitment ... It took less money to meet the policy commitment than we thought," another US official said, adding that this was not the first time the United States had reprogrammed money from the account.

The move comes as the United States is in talks with the Taliban to end the more than 17-year-old war. US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their sixth round of peace talks on Thursday with "some progress" made on a draft agreement for when foreign troops might withdraw from Afghanistan.

But there is a concern that the over-stretched Afghan forces could crumble if US troops leave the country.

Pentagon's acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles of barriers on the border with Mexico, US official said on Friday, including taking about $600 million in savings from an account meant for Afghan security forces.

Pentagon's acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles of barriers on the border with Mexico, US official said on Friday, including taking about $600 million in savings from an account meant for Afghan security forces. The latest move comes on top of a March transfer of $1 billion in military money to fund President Donald Trump's wall, something lawmakers were highly critical of. "The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness," Shanahan said in a statement. Shanahan said that the US military had more than 4,000 service members on the border along with 19 aircraft. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the latest transfer would include $604 million from funds for the Afghan security forces, which are struggling to hold territory against Taliban militants. The United States had appropriated $4.9 billion in support for Afghan security forces for fiscal year 2019. The official said the money was taken from that account because they found savings in contracts. "It is not reflective of anything related to our commitment ... It took less money to meet the policy commitment than we thought," another US official said, adding that this was not the first time the United States had reprogrammed money from the account. The move comes as the United States is in talks with the Taliban to end the more than 17-year-old war. US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their sixth round of peace talks on Thursday with "some progress" made on a draft agreement for when foreign troops might withdraw from Afghanistan. But there is a concern that the over-stretched Afghan forces could crumble if US troops leave the country.

Pentagon to transfer $1.5 billion from Afghan forces, other areas for border wall construction

Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, a UN report released Wednesday revealed.

The bloody milestone comes as the US steps up its air campaign in Afghanistan while pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban, who now control or influence more parts of the country than at any time since they were ousted in 2001.

During the first three months of 2019, international and pro-government forces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians, whereas insurgent groups killed 227 people, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a quarterly report.

Most of the deaths resulted from air strikes or from search operations on the ground, primarily conducted by US-backed Afghan forces, some of which UNAMA said "appear to act with impunity".

"UNAMA urges both the Afghan national security forces and international military forces to conduct investigations into allegations of civilian casualties, to publish the results of their findings, and to provide compensation to victims as appropriate," the report states.&nbsp;

UNAMA started compiling civilian casualty data in 2009 amid deteriorating security conditions in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

It is the first tally since records began that shows pro-government forces have killed more civilians than insurgents have.&nbsp;

In 2017, the US military started quickening its operational tempo after President Donald Trump loosened restrictions and made it easier for American forces to bomb Taliban positions.&nbsp;

While other nations may contribute logistical or technical support, it is US aircraft that conduct most strikes. Afghanistan's fledgeling air force is also flying more sorties.

The US has sent huge B-52 bombers on runs over the country and benefited from an increase in aerial hardware as operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria tapered off.

UNAMA's report did however find that overall, civilian casualties dropped 23 per cent as compared to the first three months of 2018.

In all, UNAMA documented 1,773 casualties last quarter: 581 deaths and 1,192 injured -- the lowest first-quarter toll since 2013.&nbsp;

The drop was driven by a decrease in the use of suicide bomb attacks, but UNAMA did not know if this trend came as a result of a harsh winter or if the Taliban were trying to kill fewer civilians during peace talks.

Still, UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto, who also serves as the UN secretary general's special representative for Afghanistan, said a "shocking number" of civilians are being killed or maimed.

"All parties must do more to safeguard civilians," Yamamoto said in a statement.

Last year was the deadliest yet for Afghan civilians, with 3,804 killed, according to UNAMA.

Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, a UN report released Wednesday revealed.

Afghan civilians are for the first time being killed in greater numbers by US and pro-government forces than by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, a UN report released Wednesday revealed. The bloody milestone comes as the US steps up its air campaign in Afghanistan while pushing for a peace deal with the Taliban, who now control or influence more parts of the country than at any time since they were ousted in 2001. During the first three months of 2019, international and pro-government forces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians, whereas insurgent groups killed 227 people, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a quarterly report. Most of the deaths resulted from air strikes or from search operations on the ground, primarily conducted by US-backed Afghan forces, some of which UNAMA said "appear to act with impunity". "UNAMA urges both the Afghan national security forces and international military forces to conduct investigations into allegations of civilian casualties, to publish the results of their findings, and to provide compensation to victims as appropriate," the report states. UNAMA started compiling civilian casualty data in 2009 amid deteriorating security conditions in Afghanistan. It is the first tally since records began that shows pro-government forces have killed more civilians than insurgents have. In 2017, the US military started quickening its operational tempo after President Donald Trump loosened restrictions and made it easier for American forces to bomb Taliban positions. While other nations may contribute logistical or technical support, it is US aircraft that conduct most strikes. Afghanistan's fledgeling air force is also flying more sorties. The US has sent huge B-52 bombers on runs over the country and benefited from an increase in aerial hardware as operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria tapered off. UNAMA's report did however find that overall, civilian casualties dropped 23 per cent as compared to the first three months of 2018. In all, UNAMA documented 1,773 casualties last quarter: 581 deaths and 1,192 injured -- the lowest first-quarter toll since 2013. The drop was driven by a decrease in the use of suicide bomb attacks, but UNAMA did not know if this trend came as a result of a harsh winter or if the Taliban were trying to kill fewer civilians during peace talks. Still, UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto, who also serves as the UN secretary general's special representative for Afghanistan, said a "shocking number" of civilians are being killed or maimed. "All parties must do more to safeguard civilians," Yamamoto said in a statement. Last year was the deadliest yet for Afghan civilians, with 3,804 killed, according to UNAMA.

More civilians now killed by US, Afghan forces than by insurgents: UN report

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday.

The men, arrested in the capital, Kabul, also used Twitter Inc, Instagram and Telegram for fake accounts recruiting fighters and promoting Islamic State, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said.

The agency said the men had confessed, but have not yet been charged. They were among 16 arrests it said were connected to Islamic State.

The arrests come as Facebook and Twitter have been separately sucked into an information war between India and Pakistan.

The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has recruited many fighters from around the world, including Western countries.

The group, also known as Daesh, has been active in Afghanistan since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces.

In a separate operation in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the NDS arrested 10 suspects over involvement in assassinations and transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives, it said in the statement.

Islamic State emerged in Nangarhar on the porous border with Pakistan to become one of Afghanistan's most dangerous militant groups for its bombing and complex attacks.

It is difficult to say how many Islamic State fighters are in Afghanistan because they frequently switch allegiances, but the U.S. military estimates there are about 2,000.

U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria last month, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed "caliphate", but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world.

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday.

Afghan security forces have arrested six alleged members of the Islamic State militant group and accused them of using hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook Inc and other social media to find recruits, authorities said on Thursday. The men, arrested in the capital, Kabul, also used Twitter Inc, Instagram and Telegram for fake accounts recruiting fighters and promoting Islamic State, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said. The agency said the men had confessed, but have not yet been charged. They were among 16 arrests it said were connected to Islamic State. The arrests come as Facebook and Twitter have been separately sucked into an information war between India and Pakistan. The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) after an old name for the region that includes Afghanistan, has recruited many fighters from around the world, including Western countries. The group, also known as Daesh, has been active in Afghanistan since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces. In a separate operation in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the NDS arrested 10 suspects over involvement in assassinations and transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives, it said in the statement. Islamic State emerged in Nangarhar on the porous border with Pakistan to become one of Afghanistan's most dangerous militant groups for its bombing and complex attacks. It is difficult to say how many Islamic State fighters are in Afghanistan because they frequently switch allegiances, but the U.S. military estimates there are about 2,000. U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria last month, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed "caliphate", but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world.

Afghan forces arrest alleged Islamic State online recruiters: Report

Afghanistan's main spy agency has killed a Taliban commander who was the mastermind of this week's deadly attack on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/around-65-killed-in-taliban-attack-on-afghan-intel-base-official-191962">Afghan forces at a military base</a> in the central province of Maidan Wardak, officials said on Wednesday.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said the commander, whose name it gave only as Noman, was killed in an air raid on Tuesday night.

"Noman, along with seven others, was targeted after being identified by the NDS forces in an operative task," the agency said in a statement.

"NDS will follow the terrorist group and kill them all."

Taliban officials were not immediately available to confirm the death of the commander. On Tuesday, the agency said 36 people were killed and 58 injured in Monday's attack by the Taliban but those figures were smaller than the tally of other government and security sources.

On Monday, a senior defence source had told Reuters 126 Afghan security forces were killed. On Tuesday, two senior security officials in the capital, Kabul, said at least 72 men being trained by the NDS were killed with 38 critically injured.

Afghanistan's main spy agency has killed a Taliban commander who was the mastermind of this week's deadly attack on Afghan forces at a military base in the central province of Maidan Wardak, officials said on Wednesday.

Afghanistan's main spy agency has killed a Taliban commander who was the mastermind of this week's deadly attack on Afghan forces at a military base in the central province of Maidan Wardak, officials said on Wednesday. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said the commander, whose name it gave only as Noman, was killed in an air raid on Tuesday night. "Noman, along with seven others, was targeted after being identified by the NDS forces in an operative task," the agency said in a statement. "NDS will follow the terrorist group and kill them all." Taliban officials were not immediately available to confirm the death of the commander. On Tuesday, the agency said 36 people were killed and 58 injured in Monday's attack by the Taliban but those figures were smaller than the tally of other government and security sources. On Monday, a senior defence source had told Reuters 126 Afghan security forces were killed. On Tuesday, two senior security officials in the capital, Kabul, said at least 72 men being trained by the NDS were killed with 38 critically injured.

Afghanistan says Taliban mastermind of deadly attack on military base killed

Heavily armed Taliban fighters destroyed bridges near the central city of Ghazni on Saturday, closing the main highway between the capital Kabul and southern Afghanistan, officials said.

Sporadic clashes erupted between Afghan soldiers and Taliban insurgents who were trying to gain control over parts of Ghazni province nearly two months after being pushed back from the city by US-backed Afghan forces, officials added.

Mohammad Arif Noori, the governor’s spokesman in Ghazni, said fighting was ongoing and the Afghan army had deployed helicopters to prevent the militants from entering the city centre.

"We are fully prepared to attack them. This time the province will not fall into the hands of the Taliban," Noori said.

Five militants were killed as they were planting bombs on three bridges on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, Noori added.

Residents of Qarabagh district, 55 km (35 miles) south of Ghazni city, said the militants had set up checkpoints and did not allow vehicles to pass through several residential areas.

The attack on Ghazni was a show of strength for the Taliban, underscoring how volatile the security situation remains two weeks before the parliamentary elections.

Polling has already been called off in Ghazni province after the Taliban overran it in August and besieged the city for five days.

That confrontation killed 150 Afghan security forces and 95 civilians dead, as well as hundreds of Taliban fighters, said officials then.

President Ashraf Ghani's Western-backed government pledged $20 million for relief and reconstruction of Ghazni after security forces defeated the Taliban fighters in that battle.

Heavily armed Taliban fighters destroyed bridges near the central city of Ghazni on Saturday, closing the main highway between the capital Kabul and southern Afghanistan, officials said.

Heavily armed Taliban fighters destroyed bridges near the central city of Ghazni on Saturday, closing the main highway between the capital Kabul and southern Afghanistan, officials said. Sporadic clashes erupted between Afghan soldiers and Taliban insurgents who were trying to gain control over parts of Ghazni province nearly two months after being pushed back from the city by US-backed Afghan forces, officials added. Mohammad Arif Noori, the governor’s spokesman in Ghazni, said fighting was ongoing and the Afghan army had deployed helicopters to prevent the militants from entering the city centre. "We are fully prepared to attack them. This time the province will not fall into the hands of the Taliban," Noori said. Five militants were killed as they were planting bombs on three bridges on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, Noori added. Residents of Qarabagh district, 55 km (35 miles) south of Ghazni city, said the militants had set up checkpoints and did not allow vehicles to pass through several residential areas. The attack on Ghazni was a show of strength for the Taliban, underscoring how volatile the security situation remains two weeks before the parliamentary elections. Polling has already been called off in Ghazni province after the Taliban overran it in August and besieged the city for five days. That confrontation killed 150 Afghan security forces and 95 civilians dead, as well as hundreds of Taliban fighters, said officials then. President Ashraf Ghani's Western-backed government pledged $20 million for relief and reconstruction of Ghazni after security forces defeated the Taliban fighters in that battle.

Afghan forces, Taliban battle for control of highway in Ghazni province

Afghan security forces on Sunday seized 156 sacks of ammonium nitrate, widely used in making explosives, from the back of a vegetable truck crossing from Pakistan, an official said, in one of the biggest such finds.

Intelligence officers found nearly eight tonnes of the chemical, "brought for insurgent activities", hidden under sacks of vegetables on the truck at the Torkham border crossing, at the end of the Khyber Pass, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province told Reuters.

Ammonium nitrate is widely used as a fertiliser, but for security reasons, imports into Afghanistan are banned.

&nbspAfghanistan faces insurgencies by the Taliban, Islamic State and the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. Pakistan and Afghanistan frequently accuse each other of harbouring terrorists planning cross-border raids.

&nbspA massive truck bomb struck the Afghan capital, Kabul, in May last year, killing more than 150 people.

The Taliban on Saturday announced a surprise three-day ceasefire over the Muslim Eid holiday this month, their first offer of its kind, days after the government declared an unconditional ceasefire of its own.

The governor of Nangarhar was dismissed last month as part of an administrative shakeup in a region where security has sharply deteriorated.

Officials in Nangarhar said he had failed to tackle endemic corruption in the province, which includes the Torkham post, the main crossing point into Pakistan for both goods and people as well as major smuggling routes.

Foreign air strikes targeted two Islamic State hideouts in the province, killing six insurgents, an Afghan military official told Reuters on Sunday. He did not say when the attack took place.

In southern Kandahar province, the Taliban stormed a security checkpoint on Saturday night, killing five police, a spokesman for the provincial governor told Reuters.

&nbsp &nbsp In August, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a more hawkish military approach to Afghanistan, including a surge in air strikes, aimed at forcing the Taliban to the negotiating table. 
&nbsp

Ammonium nitrate is also widely used as a fertiliser. Its import into Afghanistan however is banned for security reasons

Afghan security forces on Sunday seized 156 sacks of ammonium nitrate, widely used in making explosives, from the back of a vegetable truck crossing from Pakistan, an official said, in one of the biggest such finds. Intelligence officers found nearly eight tonnes of the chemical, "brought for insurgent activities", hidden under sacks of vegetables on the truck at the Torkham border crossing, at the end of the Khyber Pass, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province told Reuters. Ammonium nitrate is widely used as a fertiliser, but for security reasons, imports into Afghanistan are banned. &nbspAfghanistan faces insurgencies by the Taliban, Islamic State and the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. Pakistan and Afghanistan frequently accuse each other of harbouring terrorists planning cross-border raids. &nbspA massive truck bomb struck the Afghan capital, Kabul, in May last year, killing more than 150 people. The Taliban on Saturday announced a surprise three-day ceasefire over the Muslim Eid holiday this month, their first offer of its kind, days after the government declared an unconditional ceasefire of its own. The governor of Nangarhar was dismissed last month as part of an administrative shakeup in a region where security has sharply deteriorated. Officials in Nangarhar said he had failed to tackle endemic corruption in the province, which includes the Torkham post, the main crossing point into Pakistan for both goods and people as well as major smuggling routes. Foreign air strikes targeted two Islamic State hideouts in the province, killing six insurgents, an Afghan military official told Reuters on Sunday. He did not say when the attack took place. In southern Kandahar province, the Taliban stormed a security checkpoint on Saturday night, killing five police, a spokesman for the provincial governor told Reuters. In August, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a more hawkish military approach to Afghanistan, including a surge in air strikes, aimed at forcing the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Afghan forces seize 8 tonnes of bomb-making chemical at Pakistan border

Afghan security forces killed 10 Taliban militants as a ceasefire announced by the president took effect, an official said on Friday, and as security forces said they would respond if attacked.

The 10 included five Pakistanis killed in Thursday's clash in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the official said. "We finished the operation and will now follow the ceasefire plan," he said on Friday.

Four people were killed and five wounded by unidentified gunmen in a separate attack on a lawmaker's Nangarhar home on Friday. The lawmaker was not at home at the time.

In western Herat province, gunmen opened fire during Friday prayers, killing two people, a spokesman for the provincial governor said. In eastern Laghman province, next to Kabul, a bomb blast killed a cleric and two others, an official said.

The ceasefire was welcomed by the United Nations, the United States and NATO, but some independent analysts expressed scepticism. One diplomat called it a "one-sided love story" as the Taliban, who have yet to respond, are deemed unlikely to reciprocate.

Some diplomats said it came as a surprise - at one level, the government wanted intensified air strikes, but on another it was offering an olive branch.

Security officials said they would suspend operations against the Taliban in line with the ceasefire, but would respond if attacked.

President Ashraf Ghani announced an unconditional ceasefire with the Taliban coinciding with Eid, the end of the Muslim fasting month, but excluding other militant groups, such as Islamic State.

"It is not a laying-down of arms," a senior official told Reuters.

The ceasefire followed a meeting of Islamic clerics this week that declared a fatwa, or ruling, against suicide bombings, one of which, claimed by Islamic State, killed 14 people at the entrance to the clerics' peace tent in Kabul.

The clerics also recommended a ceasefire with the Taliban, who are fighting to reimpose strict Islamic law after their ouster in 2001, and Ghani endorsed the recommendation, saying it would last until June 20.

The United States wants to step up military operations against Islamic State militants in Nangarhar during the ceasefire, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan said on Friday.

"(Operations against IS) will continue, in fact, will be even intensified, during this period of ceasefire, as we focus on ISIS," General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, told reporters in Brussels.

Four people were killed and five wounded by unidentified gunmen in a separate attack on a lawmaker's Nangarhar home on Friday. The lawmaker was not at home at the time.

Afghan security forces killed 10 Taliban militants as a ceasefire announced by the president took effect, an official said on Friday, and as security forces said they would respond if attacked. The 10 included five Pakistanis killed in Thursday's clash in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the official said. "We finished the operation and will now follow the ceasefire plan," he said on Friday. Four people were killed and five wounded by unidentified gunmen in a separate attack on a lawmaker's Nangarhar home on Friday. The lawmaker was not at home at the time. In western Herat province, gunmen opened fire during Friday prayers, killing two people, a spokesman for the provincial governor said. In eastern Laghman province, next to Kabul, a bomb blast killed a cleric and two others, an official said. The ceasefire was welcomed by the United Nations, the United States and NATO, but some independent analysts expressed scepticism. One diplomat called it a "one-sided love story" as the Taliban, who have yet to respond, are deemed unlikely to reciprocate. Some diplomats said it came as a surprise - at one level, the government wanted intensified air strikes, but on another it was offering an olive branch. Security officials said they would suspend operations against the Taliban in line with the ceasefire, but would respond if attacked. President Ashraf Ghani announced an unconditional ceasefire with the Taliban coinciding with Eid, the end of the Muslim fasting month, but excluding other militant groups, such as Islamic State. "It is not a laying-down of arms," a senior official told Reuters. The ceasefire followed a meeting of Islamic clerics this week that declared a fatwa, or ruling, against suicide bombings, one of which, claimed by Islamic State, killed 14 people at the entrance to the clerics' peace tent in Kabul. The clerics also recommended a ceasefire with the Taliban, who are fighting to reimpose strict Islamic law after their ouster in 2001, and Ghani endorsed the recommendation, saying it would last until June 20. The United States wants to step up military operations against Islamic State militants in Nangarhar during the ceasefire, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan said on Friday. "(Operations against IS) will continue, in fact, will be even intensified, during this period of ceasefire, as we focus on ISIS," General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, told reporters in Brussels.

Afghan forces kill 10 Taliban as ceasefire is announced

Taliban fighters emerged from hiding in the dead of night to launch attacks in the Afghan city of Farah, battling government forces who thought they had cleared out the insurgents following heavy clashes earlier in the week, residents and officials said.

The heavily armed fighters had gone to ground in residential areas following their surprise attack on Tuesday, when they nearly overran Farah, before Afghan troops backed by US&nbspair power fought them off.

"From one side, there were Taliban and from the other side, war planes firing from the air. People were terrified," said city shopkeeper Qudratullah.

The Taliban fighters emerged from their hiding places about an hour before midnight on Wednesday, some of them firing on security forces from rooftops, with gunbattles raging into the early hours of Thursday.

At least one suicide bomb attack was launched near the city's police headquarters.

"The city has been turned into a military zone, people are worried and shops are closed," said resident Baz Mohammad.

"After what happened last night, anything can happen any time."

Schools were also declared closed for the whole of the month of Ramadan, which began on Thursday, because of the security situation, said Kabir Haqmal, media advisor to the ministry of education.

After months of relative calm over the winter, the latest fighting underlines the challenge facing the Kabul government and its US&nbspallies who are struggling to contain the Taliban insurgency.

The United States has sent thousands of extra trainers to help Afghan forces and stepped up air strikes dramatically, with the aim of pressing the Taliban to the negotiating table, but there has been little to indicate the plan is working.

Blaming Iran

In Farah, US&nbspforces have provided air support with A-10 attack aircraft and pilotless drones, while the Afghan air force has conducted numerous strikes with its own helicopters and A-29 ground attack aircraft.

Officials had earlier said the city was clear of Taliban but confirmed the fighting overnight.

"A number of Taliban clashed with Afghan forces in different parts of the city," said Fazel Ahmad Sherzad, the city's police chief.

"Right now there is no fighting but a search and clearance operation is underway," he said.

He said a number of foreign fighters appeared to be operating with the Taliban but there was no way of independently verifying that. Officials in Farah often blame neighbouring Iran for helping the Taliban in the area.

Fighting has increased across Afghanistan in recent weeks with government forces under heavy pressure in provinces including Badakhshan, Baghlan and Faryab in the north, Farah in the west and Zabul and Ghazni south of the capital Kabul.

In addition, Kabul itself has been targeted by a wave of suicide attacks that have killed and wounded hundreds of people since the beginning of the year.

Remote and sparsely populated Farah, on the border with Iran has seen heavy fighting for months with Taliban forces inflicting heavy casualties on the police and army and even on elite special forces units.

The Taliban fighters emerged from their hiding places about an hour before midnight on Wednesday

Taliban fighters emerged from hiding in the dead of night to launch attacks in the Afghan city of Farah, battling government forces who thought they had cleared out the insurgents following heavy clashes earlier in the week, residents and officials said. The heavily armed fighters had gone to ground in residential areas following their surprise attack on Tuesday, when they nearly overran Farah, before Afghan troops backed by US&nbspair power fought them off. "From one side, there were Taliban and from the other side, war planes firing from the air. People were terrified," said city shopkeeper Qudratullah. The Taliban fighters emerged from their hiding places about an hour before midnight on Wednesday, some of them firing on security forces from rooftops, with gunbattles raging into the early hours of Thursday. At least one suicide bomb attack was launched near the city's police headquarters. "The city has been turned into a military zone, people are worried and shops are closed," said resident Baz Mohammad. "After what happened last night, anything can happen any time." Schools were also declared closed for the whole of the month of Ramadan, which began on Thursday, because of the security situation, said Kabir Haqmal, media advisor to the ministry of education. After months of relative calm over the winter, the latest fighting underlines the challenge facing the Kabul government and its US&nbspallies who are struggling to contain the Taliban insurgency. The United States has sent thousands of extra trainers to help Afghan forces and stepped up air strikes dramatically, with the aim of pressing the Taliban to the negotiating table, but there has been little to indicate the plan is working. Blaming Iran In Farah, US&nbspforces have provided air support with A-10 attack aircraft and pilotless drones, while the Afghan air force has conducted numerous strikes with its own helicopters and A-29 ground attack aircraft. Officials had earlier said the city was clear of Taliban but confirmed the fighting overnight. "A number of Taliban clashed with Afghan forces in different parts of the city," said Fazel Ahmad Sherzad, the city's police chief. "Right now there is no fighting but a search and clearance operation is underway," he said. He said a number of foreign fighters appeared to be operating with the Taliban but there was no way of independently verifying that. Officials in Farah often blame neighbouring Iran for helping the Taliban in the area. Fighting has increased across Afghanistan in recent weeks with government forces under heavy pressure in provinces including Badakhshan, Baghlan and Faryab in the north, Farah in the west and Zabul and Ghazni south of the capital Kabul. In addition, Kabul itself has been targeted by a wave of suicide attacks that have killed and wounded hundreds of people since the beginning of the year. Remote and sparsely populated Farah, on the border with Iran has seen heavy fighting for months with Taliban forces inflicting heavy casualties on the police and army and even on elite special forces units.

Taliban emerge from hiding to battle Afghan forces in city near Iran

Last week, the Afghan air force dropped its first laser-guided missile on a Taliban compound in Farah, the western Afghan province that has seen increasing fighting since the beginning of the year.

The strike was an important milestone for the air force that underlined the growing importance of Farah, where hundreds of Taliban fighters have appeared since US-backed Afghan forces stepped up operations in neighbouring Helmand province.

Over the past month, Taliban fighters have delivered a series of blows to government forces, helped, according to officials in the area, by neighbouring Iran, which shares a long, porous border with the province.

In one recent week, 180 soldiers and police were killed and hundreds wounded, according to a senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said weekly death tolls for security forces in the province could reach as high as 250.

The provincial governor stepped down in January blaming political interference and civilians say the situation has become worse.

"We don`t know the reason for the escalation of violence but I can say people are very scared and people in the city haven`t slept in peace for months because of the fighting," said Abdullah, a shopkeeper in Farah city who said he now struggles to pay the rent on his shop.

"There are many people in the same situation. Thousands of young people are jobless, they either join the Taliban or cross the border to Iran to find a living."

The problem underlines broader challenges facing the Kabul government and its US allies, which last year announced a strategy to force the Taliban to the negotiating table through a mix of air strikes and stepped-up assistance to Afghan forces.

This month, Afghan forces, backed by US air power and close assistance from US advisers, began a fresh operation dubbed Maiwand 12, to hit the Taliban in the insurgency hotspots of Marjah and Nad Ali districts of Helmand province.

As operations have increased in Helmand, Western officials acknowledge that the pressure has pushed militants to Farah.&nbsp

But they say the insurgent focus on areas far from former battlegrounds where they had threatened the government show the problems they are facing.&nbsp

"Taliban offensives in these remote areas represent a significant lowering of ambition after their failure to take any provincial capitals in 2017," US Navy Captain Tom Gresback, spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition, said in an emailed statement.

US aircraft recently began bombing "drug factories" in opium-rich Helmand, but local leaders and officials in Kabul say the Taliban will fight hard to avoid losing control of smuggling routes, which bring in millions of dollars for the insurgency.

"There are hundreds of fighters who move back and forth between Farah and Helmand," the Afghan security official said.

"There is a route for smuggling opium and heroin from Helmand to Farah and finally Iran and the Taliban and the smugglers will always fight to protect. It is tens of millions of dollars."

The US ambassador to Afghanistan, Robert Bass, told the BBC this month that Iran was providing logistical support to the Taliban, an accusation rejected by Tehran.

Iran has always denied interfering in Afghanistan but Afghan officials say it has multiple interests as well as its general hostility to the United States.&nbsp

They say it fears dams in Farah could slow the flow of water into Iran and has suspicions about a planned Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline.

"There is only one reason behind this: Iran`s interference which provides the insurgents weapons and tries to hamper the TAPI project," said provincial council member Dadullah Qaneh.

"There are many people in the same situation. Thousands of young people are jobless, they either join the Taliban or cross the border to Iran to find a living."

Last week, the Afghan air force dropped its first laser-guided missile on a Taliban compound in Farah, the western Afghan province that has seen increasing fighting since the beginning of the year. The strike was an important milestone for the air force that underlined the growing importance of Farah, where hundreds of Taliban fighters have appeared since US-backed Afghan forces stepped up operations in neighbouring Helmand province. Over the past month, Taliban fighters have delivered a series of blows to government forces, helped, according to officials in the area, by neighbouring Iran, which shares a long, porous border with the province. In one recent week, 180 soldiers and police were killed and hundreds wounded, according to a senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said weekly death tolls for security forces in the province could reach as high as 250. The provincial governor stepped down in January blaming political interference and civilians say the situation has become worse. "We don`t know the reason for the escalation of violence but I can say people are very scared and people in the city haven`t slept in peace for months because of the fighting," said Abdullah, a shopkeeper in Farah city who said he now struggles to pay the rent on his shop. "There are many people in the same situation. Thousands of young people are jobless, they either join the Taliban or cross the border to Iran to find a living." The problem underlines broader challenges facing the Kabul government and its US allies, which last year announced a strategy to force the Taliban to the negotiating table through a mix of air strikes and stepped-up assistance to Afghan forces. This month, Afghan forces, backed by US air power and close assistance from US advisers, began a fresh operation dubbed Maiwand 12, to hit the Taliban in the insurgency hotspots of Marjah and Nad Ali districts of Helmand province. As operations have increased in Helmand, Western officials acknowledge that the pressure has pushed militants to Farah. But they say the insurgent focus on areas far from former battlegrounds where they had threatened the government show the problems they are facing. "Taliban offensives in these remote areas represent a significant lowering of ambition after their failure to take any provincial capitals in 2017," US Navy Captain Tom Gresback, spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition, said in an emailed statement. US aircraft recently began bombing "drug factories" in opium-rich Helmand, but local leaders and officials in Kabul say the Taliban will fight hard to avoid losing control of smuggling routes, which bring in millions of dollars for the insurgency. "There are hundreds of fighters who move back and forth between Farah and Helmand," the Afghan security official said. "There is a route for smuggling opium and heroin from Helmand to Farah and finally Iran and the Taliban and the smugglers will always fight to protect. It is tens of millions of dollars." The US ambassador to Afghanistan, Robert Bass, told the BBC this month that Iran was providing logistical support to the Taliban, an accusation rejected by Tehran. Iran has always denied interfering in Afghanistan but Afghan officials say it has multiple interests as well as its general hostility to the United States. They say it fears dams in Farah could slow the flow of water into Iran and has suspicions about a planned Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline. "There is only one reason behind this: Iran`s interference which provides the insurgents weapons and tries to hamper the TAPI project," said provincial council member Dadullah Qaneh.

As Afghan forces squeeze in Helmand, Taliban focus shifts

Taliban fighters have captured a district centre in Afghanistan&#39;s western province of Farah bordering Iran, where they have battled government security forces fiercely in recent months, officials said on Monday.

Naser Mehri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said a large group of fighters had captured the centre of Anar Dara district on Sunday night after hours of fighting, though police and intelligence service forces were still holding out in their headquarters.

The Taliban released pictures that appeared to show fighters in the town, where skirmishes were taking place on Monday. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said 15 policemen had been killed and several military vehicles seized, along with a large quantity of ammunition.

The announcement came days after local officials said the Taliban had inflicted heavy losses on Afghan special forces in another district of Farah, a poor and isolated region where the government has long struggled to impose control.&nbsp;

The pressure on Farah has grown as US air strikes and Afghan army operations have inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban fighters in neighbouring Helmand province, the main opium region in Afghanistan and a heartland of the insurgency.

Afghan and US commanders have been relatively upbeat about the course of the war since US President Donald Trump announced a new and more robust military strategy last year, with more air strikes and greater support for Afghan forces.

But the fighting in Farah underlines the continuing strength of the movement, which controls or contests almost half the country and has so far rejected peace overtures from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

In January, the Farah provincial governor resigned, blaming political interference and corruption. Residents of Farah city have complained bitterly about security in the province, where some police units are alleged to collude with Taliban fighters, selling them weapons and ammunition.&nbsp;

Although they have failed so far to take any major provincial cities, the insurgents have several times seized district centres, even if they have often been driven off soon after by government reinforcements.

With the approach of milder spring weather, security officials have said they expect to see fighting surge across the country as the Taliban, fighting to drive out international forces and reimpose their version of strict Islamic law, step up the pressure.&nbsp;

The US military`s latest estimates from December show the Afghan government controls or has influenced over 56 per cent of districts, with insurgents controlling or contesting the rest.

The Taliban released pictures that appeared to show fighters in the town

Taliban fighters have captured a district centre in Afghanistan's western province of Farah bordering Iran, where they have battled government security forces fiercely in recent months, officials said on Monday. Naser Mehri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said a large group of fighters had captured the centre of Anar Dara district on Sunday night after hours of fighting, though police and intelligence service forces were still holding out in their headquarters. The Taliban released pictures that appeared to show fighters in the town, where skirmishes were taking place on Monday. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said 15 policemen had been killed and several military vehicles seized, along with a large quantity of ammunition. The announcement came days after local officials said the Taliban had inflicted heavy losses on Afghan special forces in another district of Farah, a poor and isolated region where the government has long struggled to impose control. The pressure on Farah has grown as US air strikes and Afghan army operations have inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban fighters in neighbouring Helmand province, the main opium region in Afghanistan and a heartland of the insurgency. Afghan and US commanders have been relatively upbeat about the course of the war since US President Donald Trump announced a new and more robust military strategy last year, with more air strikes and greater support for Afghan forces. But the fighting in Farah underlines the continuing strength of the movement, which controls or contests almost half the country and has so far rejected peace overtures from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. In January, the Farah provincial governor resigned, blaming political interference and corruption. Residents of Farah city have complained bitterly about security in the province, where some police units are alleged to collude with Taliban fighters, selling them weapons and ammunition. Although they have failed so far to take any major provincial cities, the insurgents have several times seized district centres, even if they have often been driven off soon after by government reinforcements. With the approach of milder spring weather, security officials have said they expect to see fighting surge across the country as the Taliban, fighting to drive out international forces and reimpose their version of strict Islamic law, step up the pressure. The US military`s latest estimates from December show the Afghan government controls or has influenced over 56 per cent of districts, with insurgents controlling or contesting the rest.

Taliban capture district centre in western Afghan province

At least 28 insurgents have been killed during the military operations carried out by the security forces in the past 24 hours, said the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MoD).&nbsp;

News reports said that around 13 others were left wounded.&nbsp;

The Afghan forces conducted operations in&nbsp;Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Paktika, Logar, Kandahar, Farah, Takhar, Faryab, Nimroz and Helmand provinces.

During the operations a number of vehicles and weapons belonging to insurgents were destroyed, the MoD said.

The airstrikes carried out by the Afghan forces targetted the insurgent hideouts. No insurgent group has commented on the incident, so far.

Afghan Ministry of Defense last week said that at least 25 insurgents were killed during ground and airstrike operations by Afghan forces in different parts of the country.&nbsp;

The operations were conducted in Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, Farah, Faryab, Takhar, Sar-e-Pul, Nimroz and Helmand provinces, MoD said

Earlier, more than 20 security forces were reported killed in attacks by Taliban militants in various parts of Afghanistan, including Kabul.&nbsp;

News reports said that around 13 others were left wounded

At least 28 insurgents have been killed during the military operations carried out by the security forces in the past 24 hours, said the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MoD). News reports said that around 13 others were left wounded. The Afghan forces conducted operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Paktika, Logar, Kandahar, Farah, Takhar, Faryab, Nimroz and Helmand provinces. During the operations a number of vehicles and weapons belonging to insurgents were destroyed, the MoD said. The airstrikes carried out by the Afghan forces targetted the insurgent hideouts. No insurgent group has commented on the incident, so far. Afghan Ministry of Defense last week said that at least 25 insurgents were killed during ground and airstrike operations by Afghan forces in different parts of the country. The operations were conducted in Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, Farah, Faryab, Takhar, Sar-e-Pul, Nimroz and Helmand provinces, MoD said Earlier, more than 20 security forces were reported killed in attacks by Taliban militants in various parts of Afghanistan, including Kabul.

Afghan forces kill 28 insurgents during airstrikes

The Taliban said on Wednesday, in a rare statement to the American people, they wanted to end Afghanistan&#39;s 17-year war through talks, while warning the message should not be seen as a sign of weakness and the fight against U.S. forces would go on.

A more aggressive US&nbsp;strategy in Afghanistan including a surge in air strikes introduced by President Donald Trump in August has pushed the Taliban back from several district centres and two provincial capitals.

But the militants control large parts of the countryside and have responded to the more aggressive U.S. strategy with two attacks in Kabul in the past few weeks, killing nearly 150 people.

The attacks have toughened both the U.S. and Afghan governments&#39; stand against initiating talks with the insurgents, although neither side seems capable of winning the conflict.

&quot;Our preference is to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogue,&quot; the Taliban said.

The Taliban, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the U.S.-backed government, said the United States must end its &quot;occupation&quot; and accept the Taliban right to form a government &quot;consistent with the beliefs of our people&quot;.

In their statement, the Taliban did not mention a Jan. 27 raid on a top Kabul hotel, in which more than 30 people were killed, nor a bomb attack on a crowded street a week later that killed more than 100. They claimed both attacks.

The militants only mentioned the Afghan government to deride it on various grounds. A government spokesman declined to comment on the statement.

&#39;Louder than words&#39;

A spokesman for Afghanistan&#39;s NATO-led military mission said the recent Taliban attacks on civilians demonstrated they were not ready to enter &quot;good-faith peace negotiations&quot; while the government had on numerous occasions made clear it was willing to begin a peace process.

&quot;The Taliban statement alone does not show willingness to engage in peace talks. The recent attacks speak louder than these words,&quot; said the spokesman, Captain Tom Gresback.

The Taliban said it was not too late for the American people to realise the Taliban can solve problems with every side &quot;through healthy politics and dialogue&quot;, adding the chances for dialogue were &quot;not exhausted&quot;.

Preliminary talks on ending the war that kills thousands of people each year have stalled.

But low-level contacts between the government, international groups including the United Nations and groups close to the Taliban have continued even as the insurgency has escalated.

Progress has been blocked by the deep mistrust between the government and the Taliban, as well as uncertainty about the role of neighbours including&nbsp;Pakistan, which Afghanistan has long accused of aiding the insurgents.

Pakistan&nbsp;rejects accusations that it sponsors the Taliban.

The Taliban said their willingness to play a &quot;constructive role in finding a peaceful solution&quot; should not be taken as a sign of weakness.

&quot;This can never mean that we are exhausted or our will has been sapped,&quot; they said.

They said they had no intention to damage any other country or let anyone use Afghan territory against anyone else.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A more aggressive US strategy in Afghanistan including a surge in air strikes introduced by President Donald Trump in August has pushed the Taliban back from several district centres and two provincial capitals.

The Taliban said on Wednesday, in a rare statement to the American people, they wanted to end Afghanistan's 17-year war through talks, while warning the message should not be seen as a sign of weakness and the fight against U.S. forces would go on. A more aggressive US strategy in Afghanistan including a surge in air strikes introduced by President Donald Trump in August has pushed the Taliban back from several district centres and two provincial capitals. But the militants control large parts of the countryside and have responded to the more aggressive U.S. strategy with two attacks in Kabul in the past few weeks, killing nearly 150 people. The attacks have toughened both the U.S. and Afghan governments' stand against initiating talks with the insurgents, although neither side seems capable of winning the conflict. "Our preference is to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogue," the Taliban said. The Taliban, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the U.S.-backed government, said the United States must end its "occupation" and accept the Taliban right to form a government "consistent with the beliefs of our people". In their statement, the Taliban did not mention a Jan. 27 raid on a top Kabul hotel, in which more than 30 people were killed, nor a bomb attack on a crowded street a week later that killed more than 100. They claimed both attacks. The militants only mentioned the Afghan government to deride it on various grounds. A government spokesman declined to comment on the statement. 'Louder than words' A spokesman for Afghanistan's NATO-led military mission said the recent Taliban attacks on civilians demonstrated they were not ready to enter "good-faith peace negotiations" while the government had on numerous occasions made clear it was willing to begin a peace process. "The Taliban statement alone does not show willingness to engage in peace talks. The recent attacks speak louder than these words," said the spokesman, Captain Tom Gresback. The Taliban said it was not too late for the American people to realise the Taliban can solve problems with every side "through healthy politics and dialogue", adding the chances for dialogue were "not exhausted". Preliminary talks on ending the war that kills thousands of people each year have stalled. But low-level contacts between the government, international groups including the United Nations and groups close to the Taliban have continued even as the insurgency has escalated. Progress has been blocked by the deep mistrust between the government and the Taliban, as well as uncertainty about the role of neighbours including Pakistan, which Afghanistan has long accused of aiding the insurgents. Pakistan rejects accusations that it sponsors the Taliban. The Taliban said their willingness to play a "constructive role in finding a peaceful solution" should not be taken as a sign of weakness. "This can never mean that we are exhausted or our will has been sapped," they said. They said they had no intention to damage any other country or let anyone use Afghan territory against anyone else.

Afghan Taliban say they want to end war through dialogue

Afghan forces killed at least 65 IS militants in eastern parts of the country.

The death toll has been claimed by Afghan officials on Tuesday.

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Nangarhar governor&#39;s spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani said that the operations were conducted from the air and ground in Gorgore and Wangora areas of Haska Mena district.

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Khogyani also mentioned that during the operation one civilians got killed and 13 were injured.

There is no reaction has come from Islamic states so far.

Earlier this week, 11 IS militants were killed in the drone strikes conducted by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province.

(With inputs from News agency)

The death toll has been claimed by Afghan officials on Tuesday

Afghan forces killed at least 65 IS militants in eastern parts of the country. The death toll has been claimed by Afghan officials on Tuesday. Also read: Osama bin laden's grandson killed in air strike Nangarhar governor's spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani said that the operations were conducted from the air and ground in Gorgore and Wangora areas of Haska Mena district. Also read: 40 dead, 30 wounded in multiple blasts in Kabul Khogyani also mentioned that during the operation one civilians got killed and 13 were injured. There is no reaction has come from Islamic states so far. Earlier this week, 11 IS militants were killed in the drone strikes conducted by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province. (With inputs from News agency)

65 IS militants killed by Afghan forces

The death rate among Afghan security forces soared last year, as the Kabul government&#39;s overall control of the country dropped significantly, an official US watchdog said in a report Wednesday.

The grim new statistics paint a picture of a beleaguered nation still in the grips of a widespread security crisis, despite many years and billions of dollars spent building up Afghanistan&#39;s army and police forces.&nbsp;

According to the US government&#39;s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), 6,785 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed between January 1 and November 12, with another 11,777 wounded.

That&#39;s an increase of about 35 per cent from all of 2015, when some 5,000 security forces were killed.

Afghan police and army units took over from NATO the task of providing security for the country in 2015.

Their first year was something of a disaster, the nadir coming when the regional capital Kunduz in northern Afghanistan was briefly captured by the Taliban.

US and NATO officials had been hoping the Afghans would fare better in 2016, but clearly the security situation remains perilous.

The Pentagon, however, insists the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are improving and points to successful efforts to repel Taliban attacks on regional capitals.

Most of the fatalities among the ANDSF came from &quot;direct-fire&quot; assaults, meaning local troops were directly attacked by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, instead of dying in roadside bomb and mine blasts.

In addition to the high death rate in the ANDSF, the report also found that the number of Afghan districts under insurgent control or influence is increasing.

US Forces Afghanistan reported that about 57.2 per cent of the country&#39;s 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of November 15, the report states.

That marks a drop of 6.2 per centage points from the 63.4 per cent reported in late August, and a nearly 15-point drop since November 2015.

A Western observer who has lived in Afghanistan for years told AFP that the provinces under Taliban control could ultimately split from those held by the Kabul government.&nbsp;

&quot;Everybody here thinks this country will collapse in a matter of two or three years,&quot; he said.

The report also found civilian casualties remain high.

According to a UN body, there were 8,397 conflict-related civilian casualties between January 1 and September 30, a slight drop compared to the same period in 2015.

The report also cites an Asia Foundation survey last year that found only 29.3 per cent of respondents nationwide felt their country was moving in the right direction, down from 36.7 per cent in 2015.

&quot;This represents the lowest level of optimism recorded since the survey began in 2004,&quot; the SIGAR report notes.

The Taliban have been especially active in Helmand province, a global centre for opium production, which is on the rise.

And Afghanistan has long grappled with government corruption and embezzlement.&nbsp;

 
(AFP)

6,785 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed between January 1 and November 12, a 35 per cent from all of 2015

The death rate among Afghan security forces soared last year, as the Kabul government's overall control of the country dropped significantly, an official US watchdog said in a report Wednesday. The grim new statistics paint a picture of a beleaguered nation still in the grips of a widespread security crisis, despite many years and billions of dollars spent building up Afghanistan's army and police forces. According to the US government's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), 6,785 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed between January 1 and November 12, with another 11,777 wounded. That's an increase of about 35 per cent from all of 2015, when some 5,000 security forces were killed. Afghan police and army units took over from NATO the task of providing security for the country in 2015. Their first year was something of a disaster, the nadir coming when the regional capital Kunduz in northern Afghanistan was briefly captured by the Taliban. US and NATO officials had been hoping the Afghans would fare better in 2016, but clearly the security situation remains perilous. The Pentagon, however, insists the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are improving and points to successful efforts to repel Taliban attacks on regional capitals. Most of the fatalities among the ANDSF came from "direct-fire" assaults, meaning local troops were directly attacked by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, instead of dying in roadside bomb and mine blasts. In addition to the high death rate in the ANDSF, the report also found that the number of Afghan districts under insurgent control or influence is increasing. US Forces Afghanistan reported that about 57.2 per cent of the country's 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of November 15, the report states. That marks a drop of 6.2 per centage points from the 63.4 per cent reported in late August, and a nearly 15-point drop since November 2015. A Western observer who has lived in Afghanistan for years told AFP that the provinces under Taliban control could ultimately split from those held by the Kabul government. "Everybody here thinks this country will collapse in a matter of two or three years," he said. The report also found civilian casualties remain high. According to a UN body, there were 8,397 conflict-related civilian casualties between January 1 and September 30, a slight drop compared to the same period in 2015. The report also cites an Asia Foundation survey last year that found only 29.3 per cent of respondents nationwide felt their country was moving in the right direction, down from 36.7 per cent in 2015. "This represents the lowest level of optimism recorded since the survey began in 2004," the SIGAR report notes. The Taliban have been especially active in Helmand province, a global centre for opium production, which is on the rise. And Afghanistan has long grappled with government corruption and embezzlement. (AFP)

Fatalities soar among Afghan forces as government loses ground to Taliban: US watchdog

Taliban&#39;s surprise attack today triggered clashes within the capital of Afghanistan`s central province of Uruzgan, one of the top poppy-cultivating provinces in the country, threatening government offices as the leadership fled to the airport, officials said. 
 
As the insurgents stormed into Tarin Kot, a city of about 70,000 people, a pitched battle ensued in the region prompting urgent calls from officials for reinforcements and air support, after the militants toppled security posts on the outskirts to breach the city gates. 
 
Unfolding of attack&nbsp; 
 
The surprise attack left authorities in control only of Tirin Kot&#39;s police headquarters, which the Taliban were besieging since the morning hours, according to the provincial spokesman, Doost Mohammad Nayab, according to Indian news agency PTI. &nbsp; 
 
All the checkpoints around the city were overrun or destroyed, Nayab said elaborating about the attack. He did not provide a casualty toll but said he feared that the city will soon completely fall to the insurgents.&nbsp; 
 
The militants fought their way to within a few hundred metres of the governor&#39;s compound and police headquarters, provincial police chief Wais Samim was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
However, within hours, the Afghan ministry of defense said the Taliban had been repelled from Tirin Kot.&nbsp; 
 
In a statement online, the Taliban said their fighters had entered the city and overrun at least seven checkpoints as well as the prison, with city officials taking the prisoners as &quot;hostages&quot; and fleeing to the airport. 
 
&quot;Street to street clashes are currently taking place against the enemy inside the city,&quot; the statement said. 
 
The militant offensive, and the apparent government collapse in some areas, was reminiscent of the Taliban&#39;s speedy but brief capture of Kunduz city last year, the first time the group had seized a provincial capital since after losing power in 2001. 
 
Following the attack, leaders in Uruzgan had retreated to the airport, which houses an Afghan military base, a police official told Reuters pleading anonymity.&nbsp; 
 
Shah Hussain Murtazawi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said reinforcements had arrived in Tarin Kot. 
 
&quot;Uruzgan will not turn into a terrorists&#39; safe heaven,&quot; he said. 
 
Blame game&nbsp; 
 
In separate phone interviews with Reuters, security officials were already assigning blame for the apparent collapse of the defences. 
 
Police chief Samim said many of the city officers had made deals with the Taliban and left their checkpoints without a fight, while another police official accused the province&#39;s senior leadership of abandoning the city. 
 
Late on Wednesday, the Taliban released a statement promising government forces protection if they surrendered peacefully. 
Abdul Karim, head of the Uruzgan provincial council told the city&#39;s prison had fallen to the advancing militants, but its occupants had previously been transferred to the airport.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

A pitched battle ensued in Tarin Kot, capital of Uruzgan following the attack that was reminiscent of Taliban's Kunduz capture last year

Taliban's surprise attack today triggered clashes within the capital of Afghanistan`s central province of Uruzgan, one of the top poppy-cultivating provinces in the country, threatening government offices as the leadership fled to the airport, officials said. As the insurgents stormed into Tarin Kot, a city of about 70,000 people, a pitched battle ensued in the region prompting urgent calls from officials for reinforcements and air support, after the militants toppled security posts on the outskirts to breach the city gates. Unfolding of attack The surprise attack left authorities in control only of Tirin Kot's police headquarters, which the Taliban were besieging since the morning hours, according to the provincial spokesman, Doost Mohammad Nayab, according to Indian news agency PTI. All the checkpoints around the city were overrun or destroyed, Nayab said elaborating about the attack. He did not provide a casualty toll but said he feared that the city will soon completely fall to the insurgents. The militants fought their way to within a few hundred metres of the governor's compound and police headquarters, provincial police chief Wais Samim was quoted as saying by Reuters. However, within hours, the Afghan ministry of defense said the Taliban had been repelled from Tirin Kot. In a statement online, the Taliban said their fighters had entered the city and overrun at least seven checkpoints as well as the prison, with city officials taking the prisoners as "hostages" and fleeing to the airport. "Street to street clashes are currently taking place against the enemy inside the city," the statement said. The militant offensive, and the apparent government collapse in some areas, was reminiscent of the Taliban's speedy but brief capture of Kunduz city last year, the first time the group had seized a provincial capital since after losing power in 2001. Following the attack, leaders in Uruzgan had retreated to the airport, which houses an Afghan military base, a police official told Reuters pleading anonymity. Shah Hussain Murtazawi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said reinforcements had arrived in Tarin Kot. "Uruzgan will not turn into a terrorists' safe heaven," he said. Blame game In separate phone interviews with Reuters, security officials were already assigning blame for the apparent collapse of the defences. Police chief Samim said many of the city officers had made deals with the Taliban and left their checkpoints without a fight, while another police official accused the province's senior leadership of abandoning the city. Late on Wednesday, the Taliban released a statement promising government forces protection if they surrendered peacefully. Abdul Karim, head of the Uruzgan provincial council told the city's prison had fallen to the advancing militants, but its occupants had previously been transferred to the airport. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Taliban's surprise attack forces government officials to flee provincial capital in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces searched the American University in Kabul in the early hours of today for suspected gunmen who might be still at large, following an attack on the compound that sent students fleeing in panic. 
 
Militants stormed into the complex at around 6.30 pm local time (1400 GMT) yesterday after a car bomb explosion followed by gunfire. &nbsp;One person, reportedly a guard, was killed and at least 14 students were wounded. It was not clear whether foreigners were among those hurt. 
 
Special forces surrounded the walled compound and made their way inside, according to a senior interior ministry official. The ministry&#39;s spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said late yesterday that two gunmen were hiding in the university building. 
 
Early today, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told the media that the area was quiet and that security forces were looking to flush out any remaining gunmen. 
 
&quot;We are inside buildings and a clearance operation is ongoing. We do not know if any attacker or attackers are still alive.&quot; 
 
He declined to speak further, saying the light from his cell phone could make him a target for any assailants at large. 
 
Desperate escapes 
 
Terrified students recounted barricading themselves in classrooms or jumping from the second floor in order to escape. Most appeared to have got away. 
 
Some even took to social media in a desperate call for help. 
 
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&quot;Many students jumped from the second floor, some broke their legs and some hurt their head trying to escape,&quot; Abdullah Fahimi, a student who escaped. He injured his ankle making the leap. &quot;We were in the class when we heard a loud explosion followed by gunfire. It was very close. Some students were crying, others were screaming.&quot; 
 
Ahmad Mukhtar, who also fled, said the gunmen had got into the university buildings despite security measures including armed guards and watchtowers. 
 
&quot;I finished my class and was about to leave when I heard a few gunshots and a huge explosion, followed by more gunfire,&quot; he said. &quot;I ran toward the emergency exit with other students, climbed the wall and jumped outside.&quot; 
 
No one has taken responsibility for the university raid. It was the second time this month that the university or its staff had been targeted. 
 
Two teachers, an American and an Australian, remain missing after being abducted at gunpoint from a road nearby on Aug. 7. 
 
The American University of Afghanistan has about 1,700 students and advertises itself as the country&#39;s only not-for-profit, &quot;non-partisan&quot;, co-educational university. It opened in 2006 and caters to full-time and part-time students. 
 
The United States said it was closely monitoring the situation in Kabul following the university attack, and that forces from the US-led coalition were involved in the response in an advise and assist role. 
 
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the US embassy was working to account for all of its personnel and to locate and assist any US citizens affected by the attack. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Kabul police chief said that a clearance operation was ongoing inside the buildings but they did not know if the attacker/s were still alive

Afghan security forces searched the American University in Kabul in the early hours of today for suspected gunmen who might be still at large, following an attack on the compound that sent students fleeing in panic. Militants stormed into the complex at around 6.30 pm local time (1400 GMT) yesterday after a car bomb explosion followed by gunfire. One person, reportedly a guard, was killed and at least 14 students were wounded. It was not clear whether foreigners were among those hurt. Special forces surrounded the walled compound and made their way inside, according to a senior interior ministry official. The ministry's spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said late yesterday that two gunmen were hiding in the university building. Early today, Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told the media that the area was quiet and that security forces were looking to flush out any remaining gunmen. "We are inside buildings and a clearance operation is ongoing. We do not know if any attacker or attackers are still alive." He declined to speak further, saying the light from his cell phone could make him a target for any assailants at large. Desperate escapes Terrified students recounted barricading themselves in classrooms or jumping from the second floor in order to escape. Most appeared to have got away. Some even took to social media in a desperate call for help. "Many students jumped from the second floor, some broke their legs and some hurt their head trying to escape," Abdullah Fahimi, a student who escaped. He injured his ankle making the leap. "We were in the class when we heard a loud explosion followed by gunfire. It was very close. Some students were crying, others were screaming." Ahmad Mukhtar, who also fled, said the gunmen had got into the university buildings despite security measures including armed guards and watchtowers. "I finished my class and was about to leave when I heard a few gunshots and a huge explosion, followed by more gunfire," he said. "I ran toward the emergency exit with other students, climbed the wall and jumped outside." No one has taken responsibility for the university raid. It was the second time this month that the university or its staff had been targeted. Two teachers, an American and an Australian, remain missing after being abducted at gunpoint from a road nearby on Aug. 7. The American University of Afghanistan has about 1,700 students and advertises itself as the country's only not-for-profit, "non-partisan", co-educational university. It opened in 2006 and caters to full-time and part-time students. The United States said it was closely monitoring the situation in Kabul following the university attack, and that forces from the US-led coalition were involved in the response in an advise and assist role. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the US embassy was working to account for all of its personnel and to locate and assist any US citizens affected by the attack. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Afghan forces hunt for American University attackers

Suspected militants attacked the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul yesterday, trapping foreign staff and dozens of students inside the campus. 
 
At least one student was killed and 14 wounded in the attack, Mohammad Saleem Rasouly, head of hospitals in the Afghan capital, told the media. 
 
Dozens of special forces surrounded the university compound, where shooting lasted for more than an hour after the attack started yesterday evening around 6.30 pm (1400 GMT). 
 
Witnesses at the scene said gunfire had since stopped, and special forces had made their way into the compound. 
 
&quot;I heard explosions and gunfire is going on close by our classroom is filled with smoke and dust,&quot; said an anxious student. 
 
&quot;We are stuck inside and very afraid,&quot; she said via telephone. 
 
Students used classroom furniture to barricade the doors while many others tweeted desperate messages for help. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUAF?src=hash">#AUAF</a> under attack. I along with my friends escaped and several other of of my friends and professors trapped inside.
&mdash; Ahmad Mukhtar (@AhMukhtar) <a href="https://twitter.com/AhMukhtar/status/768465612884602881">August 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
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Associated Press photojournalist Massoud Hossaini, who was among the trapped, was said to be wounded and later managed to escape with some fellow students. 
 
&quot;Many students have been evacuated,&quot; said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, adding that there were no immediate reports of any hostages taken by the attackers. &quot;We are not sure about the number of attackers but our special forces have started clearance operations.&quot; 
 
US military advisers were assisting Afghan forces to respond to the attack, an American defense official said. 
 
Kabul-based journalist Ahmad Mukhtar, a university student, tweeted that he managed to escape but &quot;several of my friends and professors (are) trapped inside&quot;. 
 
Ambulances rushed to the scene as erratic gunshots rang out from inside the campus. 
 
The Italian-run Emergency Hospital in Kabul tweeted that at least five wounded people had been brought to the facility for treatment. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/emergency_ong">@emergency_ong</a> hospital has opened mass casualties procedures for the wounded of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericanUniversity?src=hash">#AmericanUniversity</a> attack, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash">#Kabul</a>. <a href="https://t.co/oU8YiouKpT">pic.twitter.com/oU8YiouKpT</a>
&mdash; EMERGENCY (@emergency_ong) <a href="https://twitter.com/emergency_ong/status/768506326649606144">August 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash">#Afghanistan</a>. The American university in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kabul?src=hash">#Kabul</a> currently under attack. 5 wounded trasferred to <a href="https://twitter.com/emergency_ong">@emergency_ong</a> hospital.
&mdash; EMERGENCY (@emergency_ong) <a href="https://twitter.com/emergency_ong/status/768479244339077120">August 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
So far no group has claimed responsibility for the assault, which comes just weeks after two university professors - an American and an Australian - were kidnapped at gunpoint near the school. 
 
The attack, which underscores the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, comes as Taliban insurgents step up their summer fighting season against the Western-backed Kabul government. 
 
The management of the American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, was not immediately reachable for comment. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Students used classroom furniture to barricade the doors while many others tweeted desperate messages for help

Suspected militants attacked the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul yesterday, trapping foreign staff and dozens of students inside the campus. At least one student was killed and 14 wounded in the attack, Mohammad Saleem Rasouly, head of hospitals in the Afghan capital, told the media. Dozens of special forces surrounded the university compound, where shooting lasted for more than an hour after the attack started yesterday evening around 6.30 pm (1400 GMT). Witnesses at the scene said gunfire had since stopped, and special forces had made their way into the compound. "I heard explosions and gunfire is going on close by our classroom is filled with smoke and dust," said an anxious student. "We are stuck inside and very afraid," she said via telephone. Students used classroom furniture to barricade the doors while many others tweeted desperate messages for help. #AUAF under attack. I along with my friends escaped and several other of of my friends and professors trapped inside. — Ahmad Mukhtar (@AhMukhtar) August 24, 2016 Associated Press photojournalist Massoud Hossaini, who was among the trapped, was said to be wounded and later managed to escape with some fellow students. "Many students have been evacuated," said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, adding that there were no immediate reports of any hostages taken by the attackers. "We are not sure about the number of attackers but our special forces have started clearance operations." US military advisers were assisting Afghan forces to respond to the attack, an American defense official said. Kabul-based journalist Ahmad Mukhtar, a university student, tweeted that he managed to escape but "several of my friends and professors (are) trapped inside". Ambulances rushed to the scene as erratic gunshots rang out from inside the campus. The Italian-run Emergency Hospital in Kabul tweeted that at least five wounded people had been brought to the facility for treatment. @emergency_ong hospital has opened mass casualties procedures for the wounded of #AmericanUniversity attack, #Kabul. pic.twitter.com/oU8YiouKpT — EMERGENCY (@emergency_ong) August 24, 2016 #Afghanistan. The American university in #Kabul currently under attack. 5 wounded trasferred to @emergency_ong hospital. — EMERGENCY (@emergency_ong) August 24, 2016 So far no group has claimed responsibility for the assault, which comes just weeks after two university professors - an American and an Australian - were kidnapped at gunpoint near the school. The attack, which underscores the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, comes as Taliban insurgents step up their summer fighting season against the Western-backed Kabul government. The management of the American University of Afghanistan, which opened in 2006 and enrols more than 1,700 students, was not immediately reachable for comment. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Militants attack American University in Kabul, at least one dead

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said.&nbsp; 
 
US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. 
 
&quot;This year, we&#39;re seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,&quot; Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. 
 
A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s when they&#39;re in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring,&quot; Nicholson said. 
 
More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. 
 
On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. 
 
Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. 
 
US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. 
 
Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. 
 
Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. 
 
Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. 
 
Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;So what we&#39;re seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted,&quot; he said. 
 
Nicholson suggested Mansour&#39;s successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. 
 
&quot;So he&#39;s not a unifying figure within that organisation,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

'This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,' said US Army General

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said. US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. "This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well," Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. "It's when they're in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring," Nicholson said. More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. "So what we're seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted," he said. Nicholson suggested Mansour's successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. "So he's not a unifying figure within that organisation," he said. (Reuters)

Afghan forces' casualties climbing in 2016, top US commander says

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