PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): A Provincial Council Member said on Saturday that Taliban captured a police training centre in the Dand-i-Ghori district of southern Baghlan province.
Fairuzuddin Aymaq said militants had surrounded the area since three days which was eventually captured late on Friday. The insurgents recovered 15 Kalashnikovs, a machine gun and police vehicle from the base.
The deputy provincial council member said 15 security officials, including an injured Afghan Local Police (ALP) official, who were trapped inside the facility had been evacuated with the help of local elders.
“We asked time and again to authorities to deploy more forces and supply weapons to the province in thwart the looming Taliban’s attacks. Militants sway in the area pose serious threat to Baghlan-Mazar-i-Sharif Highway,” Aymaq said.
But Deputy Governor Abdul Qadem Niazi said the base had been evacuated tactically aimed at preventing security forces and civilians causalities. He said that chiefs of different security institutions held a meeting earlier in the day and agreed to retreat from the police training centre.  
The official said security forces on the ground could not progress without air support and the issue had been discussed with the Ministry of Defence.
Mohammad Zakria, a resident of the locality, said security officials and militants exchanged heavy fire and nobody could come out of their houses. He added the situations were under control but residents still afraid to come outside.
Taliban on their website claimed killing five security officials, wounding eight others and capturing the police training centre.
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