Taliban overrun military base in Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Following deadly siege by the Taliban for days, an Afghan military base in northern Faryab province has fallen to the Taliban, officials and local media confirmed on Tuesday.

Sibghatullah Sailab, deputy chairman for the provincial assembly, told Anadolu Agency the Afghan National Army base in Ghormach district was under the siege of the Taliban for the past two days, and the besieged soldiers finally surrendered late on Monday when no additional forces came for their rescue.

The local Tolo News channel reported that 43 security personnel have been killed and wounded and 17 others were taken hostage by the militant group amid fierce battles that were ongoing for the last two days.

The particular base is located in a remote part of the and was receiving supplies via air for months.

Meanwhile, the Taliban spokesman Qari Ahmadi has tweeted that the military base in Chilgazi area of the district was taken over by the militant group.

Clashes in Ghazni city

Elsewhere, Afghan Ministry of Defence claimed to have finally pushed the advancing Taliban out of Ghazni city after four days of deadly clashes.

Ghafor Ahmad, the spokesman for the ministry, told the local Azadi Radio that 324 Taliban rebels, 70 policemen, 30 soldiers and 40 civilians got killed in these offensives.

Groups of armed Taliban militants stormed the city overnight Friday, setting fire to a number of checkpoints after engaging in deadly clashes with government forces.

Located some 150 from Kabul, the city of Ghazni is situated on the main highway connecting the capital with the country’s southern and western provinces.