21 soldiers among 71 killed in Afghanistan clashes

KABUL: Twenty-one Afghan soldiers among 71 killed in clashes in different cities of Afghanistan in twentyfour hours. A Taliban attack on Qadis District, northwestern Afghanistan, has claimed the lives of 21 government soldiers and injured nine others, IRNA said Monday quoting Afghan authorities.

Speaking to local media, Head of Badghis Provincial Council Abdul Aziz Beig said the Taliban conducted an attack on Qadis District on Sunday and killed 21 soldiers and injured nine others.

Meanwhile, a Taliban special forces commander together with 29 others have been killed in an air attack in Almar District.

In the meantime, Afghanistan Defence Ministry said in a statement that two famous Taliban commanders, namely Molla Sarvar and Molavi Habib, were killed in this air attack. While, Afghan militancy and counter-militancy have claimed 56 lives in the conflict-battered country over the past 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

In the latest wave of violent attacks by militants at least 10 civilians were killed in Jani Khil district of the eastern Paktika province on Monday as a mine planted by anti-government militants went off Monday in a bazaar, leaving 10 civilians dead and 13 others injured. Mohammad Raffah, a doctor in provincial capital hospital Sharan city, has confirmed that 10 bodies and 13 injured persons had been taken to the hospital. Women and children were also among the victims, the official added.

Similarly, anti-government militants’ attack on a security checkpoint in Faizabad district of the northern Jawzjan province late Sunday night left five police and three Taliban fighters dead, provincial governor Lutfullah Azizi has confirmed. Fighting between security forces and the Taliban militants in the western Badghis province have claimed 36 lives, including 21 security personnel and 15 Taliban militants over the past 24 hours, an official with Provincial Council Abdul Aziz Baig said Monday.