KABUL – Over 100 Afghan soldiers have either surrendered before AfghanTaliban or fleeing the country’s border over fear of being captured.
At least 58 members of the border forces, the Afghan ministry said, werecaptured by the Taliban.
Fifty-eight members of the Afghan Border Police, who crossed the borderinto Turkmenistan following heavy battles with Taliban militants, havereturned home through the Torghundi Port in the western Herat province onMonday, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The forces came under attack by Taliban militants in Bala Murghab district,which shares border with Turkmenistan, in the northwest of Afghanistan,almost two weeks ago. The battle, according to Ministry of Defense,continued for two weeks.
The ministry said women and children also accompanied the soldiers whenthey crossed the border into Turkmenistan after they came under pressure byTaliban militants.
Read Top Stories
“Search operations will continue until we release them,” the statementadded.
“From among 150 security force members, some of them surrendered to theTaliban due to the compulsion and some other were forced to flee,” saidAbdul Aziz Bek, member of Badghis Provincial Council.
