KABUL – Clashes, in a number of areas around the country, took place onWednesday between government forces and Taliban.

Reports indicate that over 30 government forces lost their lives in clashesin six provinces on Wednesday.

There have also been reports of Taliban casualties in Sar-e-Pul and Ghazniprovinces.

One of these clashes happened in Sayyad district in Sar-e-Pul province inthe north of Afghanistan where the battle eased off only afterreinforcements were sent to the area.

“For now, we assure the people that they should not be worried, but thesituation is a war situation,” Sar-e-Pul governor Mohammad Zahir Wahdatsaid.

Ghazni police said Taliban continued to attack Muqur district in theprovince on Wednesday but the attacks were pushed back by governmentforces.

“The enemy used the ceasefire (to their advantage) by attacking some basesbut we were in a defensive mode against them,” Ghazni Police Chief FaridAhmad Mashal said.

The highest casualty toll of the day was in Jurm district in Badakhshanprovince where Taliban conducted a coordinated attack against a base andkilled 15 security personnel.

“One base was on the frontline of the battle and fell to the Taliban forone or one and a half hours but the base was retaken by government forcesafter a counterattack,” Badakhshan governor Ahmad Faisal Begzad said.

Security agencies meanwhile said the security forces’ actions were inself-defense.

“The latest movements which you witnessed are from the Taliban and othergroups and of course we defended them,” Interior Ministry spokesman NajibDanish said.