The Taliban have killed 23 Afghan soldiers in their latest offensive. The ongoing US-brokered peace talks in Qatar are still stalled.
The Taliban launched a major attack last night on an Afghan National Army base in the Khushrod district of southwestern Nimroz Province, Afghan officials said Friday.
District Chief Jalil Watan Dost told VOA that the Taliban destroyed the cantonment and took four soldiers hostage.
He said the Afghan Air Force had carried out several retaliatory operations against Taliban strongholds. However, the patriot did not provide further details.
In addition, Taliban insurgents attacked several checkpoints in the northern province of Kunduz, killing seven security personnel and wounding several others.
The provincial spokesman said the Taliban had suffered heavy casualties in the counter-attacks, but gave no further details.
Afghan security forces have suffered heavy casualties in recent clashes with the Taliban.
Earlier, at least 40 Afghan National Army personnel were killed in two Taliban attacks in the northeastern province of Takhar.
The Afghan Air Force retaliated Wednesday in Takhar Province, killing at least 12 children at a mosque and injuring 18.
It was not known if the Taliban were inside the mosque compound at the time of the attack. However, the Afghan Defense Ministry insisted that Taliban fighters and commanders were among those killed.
The Defense Ministry says a special team has been formed to investigate reports of civilian casualties.
The United Nations has said it is investigating the reports and will release a report upon completion.
