KABUL – At least 50 people were confirmed dead in Afghanistan over the past24 hours as government forces and Taliban militants stepped up fighting inthe war-battered country, officials said Sunday.
Taliban militants targeted a security checkpoint in Karji area outsideFarah city, capital of western Farah province on Sunday, killing fivesecurity personnel and injuring a few others, deputy to provincial councilShah Mahmoud Naemi said.
The militants also abducted two oil tankers on the road linking Jawzjanprovincial capital Shiberghan to Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkhprovince on Sunday morning.
Moreover, a suicide car bomb targeting the convoy of the governor ofeastern Logar province on Sunday left eight people dead and injured 10others.
Most of the victims were the governor’s bodyguards. The governor escapedunhurt.
The Taliban outfit has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Meanwhile, government forces killed 20 armed insurgents in the northernBaghlan province over the past 24 hours, army spokesman in the provinceGhulam Hazrat Karimi confirmed.
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Similarly, eight militants were killed and six others injured as fightingaircrafts stormed Taliban hideouts in Ab Kamari district of the westernBadghis province on Saturday.
The government forces also killed seven militants and injured 11 others inQaisar district of the northern Faryab province over the past 24 hours.
In addition, spokesman for western Herat provincial governor, Jilani Farhadsaid Sunday that a bomb blasted among Taliban militants in the restiveZirkoh district on Saturday, killing five insurgents and injuring fourothers.
Government forces, according to security officials, would continue to keepon pressure against militant groups in chilly winter to annihilate orreduce their fighting capabilities. – APP/Xinhua
