By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL, Afghanistan
At least 124 Taliban insurgents and 31 members of the Afghan security forces have died in separate incidents the government has claimed.
Fighting in the Musa Qala district of the restive Helmand province in southern Afghanistan was some of the deadliest in recent months and was sparked after Taliban militants attacked an Afghan forces stronghold.
According to local officials, a group of Taliban militants stormed Musa Qala district on Friday night but were later repelled by Afghan national forces in a gun battle lasting several hours.
“At least 17 policemen and 10 Taliban were killed during the firefight on Friday night in Musa Qala district,” a spokesman for provincial governor Omar Zawak told Anadolu Agency on Saturday.
In another development, according to defense ministry spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi, at least 14 Afghan soldiers were killed during a counter-terror operation across the country over the past 24 hours.
“At least 14 army soldiers embraced martyrdom during fights against enemies of the country,” Azimi said.
He claimed that at least 114 Taliban fighters were killed and 103 others wounded in the same period. Afghan security forces also seized and destroyed explosives and weapons.
Taliban militants have intensified their attacks in cities and on Afghan security forces’ outposts as part of their spring offensive which began in April.
Afghanistan has seen an upsurge in violence in 2015. The ministry of defense claims it is the Taliban’s attempt to gain leverage in peace talks with the government, which are expected to resume this summer.
