Taliban militants launched a major attack in<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-supporters-cheer-us-withdrawal-plans-247894"> Afghanistan</a>'s western province of Farah on Friday, the latest in a series of assaults on provincial centres just a day after a deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, officials said.

A surge in violence has convulsed Afghanistan despite a draft peace deal struck between the United States and the hardline Islamists for thousands of US troops to pull out of the country in return for various Taliban security promises.

Taliban insurgents set ablaze an Afghan army recruitment centre after a coordinated attack launched overnight from several points around Farah city, said Mohibullah Mohib, a police spokesman in Farah.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-taliban-kill-at-least-five-people-in-horrifying-attack-in-kabul-247740">Taliban fighters</a> are pushing to take over the prison but the security forces are resisting," Mohib added.

However, there were no immediate reports of casualties among either the Afghan forces or the Taliban.

Main roads were deserted and gunshots could be heard from surrounding areas, said Shah Mohmoud Naeemi, a provincial council member in Farah, which came close to falling to the insurgents last year.

The Taliban also took control of several positions in civilian areas, including a school, although senior security officials in Kabul said Farah was still in government control.

On Thursday, a Taliban suicide blast killed at least 10 civilians and two NATO soldiers in an area near the headquarters of Afghanistan's international military force and the US embassy in Kabul.

A senior Afghan human rights officer was killed after being kidnapped and killed in a separate incident that Afghan security officials blamed on the Taliban.

Abdul Samad Amiri, the acting head of the Independent Human Rights Commission for the western province of Ghor, was kidnapped while travelling there in a car from Kabul. His body was found on Thursday.

The Taliban have not immediately commented on the killing, which rights group Amnesty International condemned as a "war crime".

"Even as the Taliban claims to be pursuing peace, it continues to kill people in the most gruesome way," Samira Hamidi, its South Asia researcher, said in a statement.

"This tragedy underscores the grave dangers that human rights defenders in Afghanistan face."

The Taliban control or influence roughly half of Afghanistan and are said to be at their strongest since the United States invaded in 2001 and overthrew their government.

Insurgent groups continue to negotiate with the United States and have demanded that all foreign forces leave.

The United States ended its combat role in 2014, although 20,000 U.S. and NATO forces remain. They still train and support Afghan troops fighting the Taliban who fear being left vulnerable if the United States leaves.

Taliban militants launched a major attack in Afghanistan's western province of Farah on Friday, the latest in a series of assaults on provincial centres just a day after a deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, officials said.

Taliban militants launched a major attack in Afghanistan's western province of Farah on Friday, the latest in a series of assaults on provincial centres just a day after a deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, officials said. A surge in violence has convulsed Afghanistan despite a draft peace deal struck between the United States and the hardline Islamists for thousands of US troops to pull out of the country in return for various Taliban security promises. Taliban insurgents set ablaze an Afghan army recruitment centre after a coordinated attack launched overnight from several points around Farah city, said Mohibullah Mohib, a police spokesman in Farah. "Taliban fighters are pushing to take over the prison but the security forces are resisting," Mohib added. However, there were no immediate reports of casualties among either the Afghan forces or the Taliban. Main roads were deserted and gunshots could be heard from surrounding areas, said Shah Mohmoud Naeemi, a provincial council member in Farah, which came close to falling to the insurgents last year. The Taliban also took control of several positions in civilian areas, including a school, although senior security officials in Kabul said Farah was still in government control. On Thursday, a Taliban suicide blast killed at least 10 civilians and two NATO soldiers in an area near the headquarters of Afghanistan's international military force and the US embassy in Kabul. A senior Afghan human rights officer was killed after being kidnapped and killed in a separate incident that Afghan security officials blamed on the Taliban. Abdul Samad Amiri, the acting head of the Independent Human Rights Commission for the western province of Ghor, was kidnapped while travelling there in a car from Kabul. His body was found on Thursday. The Taliban have not immediately commented on the killing, which rights group Amnesty International condemned as a "war crime". "Even as the Taliban claims to be pursuing peace, it continues to kill people in the most gruesome way," Samira Hamidi, its South Asia researcher, said in a statement. "This tragedy underscores the grave dangers that human rights defenders in Afghanistan face." The Taliban control or influence roughly half of Afghanistan and are said to be at their strongest since the United States invaded in 2001 and overthrew their government. Insurgent groups continue to negotiate with the United States and have demanded that all foreign forces leave. The United States ended its combat role in 2014, although 20,000 U.S. and NATO forces remain. They still train and support Afghan troops fighting the Taliban who fear being left vulnerable if the United States leaves.

Taliban attack Afghan province as violence overshadows peace deal

The Taliban have shut down dozens of health facilities run by a Swedish aid group in a move affecting thousands of people, especially women and children, the agency said Wednesday.

Doctors and hospitals have been frequently targeted by both sides during the country's decades-long conflict, and this latest loss follows a raid by Afghan security forces on a clinic last week that left four people dead.

The closures have hit Wardak province west of Kabul, where the Taliban have shuttered 42 of the 77 health facilities being run by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the aid group said in a statement.

"Due to this closure, an estimated number of over 5,700 patients are affected on a daily basis," it said.

Denying people medical treatment and health services in this way "is an obvious violation of human rights and international humanitarian law", Society for Cultural Anachronism's (SCA) country director Sonny Mansson said.

"We demand immediate reopening of all health facilities for the people and we strongly urge all parties involved in conflict to refrain from such actions which deliberately put civilian lives at risk."

The Taliban have not issued any statement, but the militants have previously closed down health clinics and banned polio vaccination campaigns in areas under their control. 
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The Taliban have shut down dozens of health facilities run by a Swedish aid group in a move affecting thousands of people, especially women and children, the agency said Wednesday.

The Taliban have shut down dozens of health facilities run by a Swedish aid group in a move affecting thousands of people, especially women and children, the agency said Wednesday. Doctors and hospitals have been frequently targeted by both sides during the country's decades-long conflict, and this latest loss follows a raid by Afghan security forces on a clinic last week that left four people dead. The closures have hit Wardak province west of Kabul, where the Taliban have shuttered 42 of the 77 health facilities being run by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the aid group said in a statement. "Due to this closure, an estimated number of over 5,700 patients are affected on a daily basis," it said. Denying people medical treatment and health services in this way "is an obvious violation of human rights and international humanitarian law", Society for Cultural Anachronism's (SCA) country director Sonny Mansson said. "We demand immediate reopening of all health facilities for the people and we strongly urge all parties involved in conflict to refrain from such actions which deliberately put civilian lives at risk." The Taliban have not issued any statement, but the militants have previously closed down health clinics and banned polio vaccination campaigns in areas under their control.

Taliban shuts dozens of health clinics in Afghan province

A journalist who worked for a local Afghan language service of the BBC and also contributed to Reuters was shot dead while driving home in the eastern city of Khost on Monday, officials said.

Ahmad Shah, who worked for the BBC's Pashto language service as well as for Reuters, was killed in the Gulzar area on the outskirts of Khost, according to Talib Mangal, spokesman for Khost`s provincial governor.

The BBC confirmed the death in a statement on Twitter.

The attack came on the same day that nine journalists were killed in a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan`s capital, and a week after unknown gunmen killed an Afghan journalist in the southern city of Kandahar.

There was no indication of any direct link between the attacks.

The uptick in violence comes despite reports around six weeks ago that suggested some factions of the Taliban had expressed interested in pursuing peace talks with the Afghan government.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The BBC confirmed the death in a statement on Twitter.

A journalist who worked for a local Afghan language service of the BBC and also contributed to Reuters was shot dead while driving home in the eastern city of Khost on Monday, officials said. Ahmad Shah, who worked for the BBC's Pashto language service as well as for Reuters, was killed in the Gulzar area on the outskirts of Khost, according to Talib Mangal, spokesman for Khost`s provincial governor. The BBC confirmed the death in a statement on Twitter. The attack came on the same day that nine journalists were killed in a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan`s capital, and a week after unknown gunmen killed an Afghan journalist in the southern city of Kandahar. There was no indication of any direct link between the attacks. The uptick in violence comes despite reports around six weeks ago that suggested some factions of the Taliban had expressed interested in pursuing peace talks with the Afghan government. (With inputs from Reuters)

Gunmen kill BBC Pashto journalist in Afghanistan's Khost province

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Taliban attack Afghan province as violence overshadows peace deal

Taliban shuts dozens of health clinics in Afghan province

Gunmen kill BBC Pashto journalist in Afghanistan's Khost province