KABUL – Ten Afghan soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on a militarybase in the southern province of Helmand on Saturday, officials said.
The Taliban dug a tunnel into the base in volatile Sangin district and thenblew it up before their fighters could attack the compound, Nawab Zadran aspokesman for 215 Maiwand Army Corps in southern Afghanistan told AFP.
“There were 18 soldiers in the base at the time of the attack providingsecurity for the people of Sangin. Four soldiers were wounded and fourrepelled the Taliban attack bravely,” he said.
Provincial spokesman Omar Zawak confirmed the attack and said the soldierswere killed by the powerful blast inside the base.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement sent to media claimedresponsibility for the attack.
The attack in Helmand comes as local and international forces brace foranother deadly winter amid US-Taliban talks to end the violence inAfghanistan.
Read Top Stories
On Tuesday, seven Afghan soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on a basein the northern province of Balkh.
Winter once marked a slowdown in the so-called “fighting season”, withTaliban fighters returning to their villages while snow and ice madeattacks more difficult to pull off.
But in recent years, the distinction between seasons has all but vanished.
Deadly violence continues to grip Afghanistan even as the US and theTaliban negotiate on-off talks aimed at reducing America’s militaryfootprint in the country in return for the insurgents ensuring an improvedsecurity situation. -APP/AFP
