Afghanistan on Sunday claimed to have killed at least 90 Taliban militantsamid heavy fighting in Kandahar province.
The Defense Ministry said multiple assaults by the Taliban were repulsed,and subsequent clean-up operations conducted in different districts of therestive southern province.
Taliban militants attacked checkpoints in Panjwai, Zhari, Arghandab, andMaiwand districts, resulting in counter-terrorism offensive by ground andair forces, it said in a statement, without offering details of anycasualties among government forces.
Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban movement, and home town offounding leader Mullah Omar.
Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi said multiple civilian homeswere destroyed and 13 innocent villagers, including children, were killedby government forces. “Our Mujahideen shall avenge their people from theenemy,” he said in a statement.
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The surge in violence comes as Kabul and the Taliban engage in peace talks.The negotiations started on Sept. 12 in the Qatari capital of Doha.
The talks are aimed at ending the nearly two-decade-long conflict followinga landmark peace deal between the US and the Taliban in February that callsfor the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.
