FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): Twenty insurgents, four security forces personnel and a civilian were killed following heavy clashes in Charsada district of western Ghor province, officials said Monday.
Fazal Haq Ehsan, head of provincial council, told Pajhwok Afghan News clashes erupted after insurgents stormed security check posts on Sunday afternoon. He added clashes were still ongoing.
He governor spokesman Abdul Hai Khatibi said Taliban suffered heavy casualties in the fighting. Afghan National Army (ANA)’s commandos and four helicopters from Herat province provided reinforcement in the operations, he added.
Khatibi said Firozkoh-Charsada highway had closed since last one month by insurgents. A security official wishing not to be named said four policemen had been killed in the fighting.
Mohammad Musa, a resident of Charsada, said he saw bodies of three Taliban fighters. “I still don’t know about civilian casualties. We want Taliban and government should not harm locals.”
Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesperson, said the group had besieged Charsada and had overrun many outposts.
Charsada is among far-flung districts of Ghor bordering Faryab and Sar-i-Pul provinces. Last year, the district was overrun by Taliban for a day.
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