KABUL: Taliban militants killed up to 50 Afghan troops and overran amilitary base in a series of attacks on Wednesday — the first major strikeby the extremists since the Eid Al-Fitr cease-fire ended.
The deadliest attack took place in the Balamorghab district in northwesternBadghis province, where at least 30 Afghan soldiers died in a pre-dawnambush.
“It was heavy fighting. The Taliban captured a military base in additionto killing 30 soldiers,” Abdul Aziz Beg, Badghis’s provincial councilchief, told Arab News.
“Large numbers of Taliban came from several directions,” he said. “Afterhours of heavy fighting, 30 Afghan security forces were killed and theTaliban captured the base.”
The Defense Ministry confirmed the deaths of 13 soldiers in the attack.
Taliban fighters also struck government posts in the Bala Boluk district ofwestern Farah province, killing 17 security force personnel in a nightattack.
The attacks were the first by the Taliban since the Eid truce with thegovernment ended on Sunday.
The governors of Farah and Badghis provinces were among officials who tookselfies and celebrated Eid with Taliban fighters who left the frontlinesand gathered in towns during the cease-fire — the first truce in thecurrent Afghan conflict which began with the US forces ousting themilitants in late 2001.
Beg said Taliban fighters may have visited government-held areas during thecease-fire to plan their attacks.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani initially called for a week-longcease-fire, but extended the truce by 10 days before the Taliban announceda resumption of hostilities.
Speaking with a group of peace marchers who walked for 40 days and coveredabout 700 km on their way to Kabul, Ghani said on Tuesday that he wasprepared to extend the truce for a year if the Taliban were willing toaccept.
While the US, UK and UN hailed Ghani’s peace overtures, many havecriticized the Afghan leader for allowing militants to entergovernment-held areas and cities, including Kabul.
Retired Gen. Attiqullah Amarkhail accused the government of “poormanagement and leadership,” saying troop numbers in vulnerable areas shouldhave been increased before the truce.
“From a military point of view, when two sides observe truce, both need toput intelligence and reconnaissance on high alert to foil possibleattacks,” he told Arab News.
“We did not do that. The cease-fire does not mean that soldiers have tosleep or put their guns under their pillows. There is a problem inmanagement and leadership here. The enemy escalated its attacks to show theworld and the Afghans they are still strong,” he said.