Afghan forces retake key district in northern province of Balkh from Taliban | World News

Afghan forces retook control of the Kaldar district in Balkh as clashes continue near the provincial centres in other provinces, according to reports. Kaldar fell to the Taliban a month ago and was recaptured by security forces and members of the public uprising forces on Monday, according to Tolo News.

Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) managed to take control of the Kaldar district from the Taliban after launching a military operation, the television news channel reported citing the ministry of national defence. The ministry said about 20 fighters of the Taliban group were killed and dozens more wounded during the operation.

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“Our forces have made good progress. We will make efforts to protect civilians,” Balkh governor’s spokesperson Adil Shah Adil was quoted as saying by Tolo News. “We had clashes in 25 provinces in which the Afghan forces made progress,” Genere Ajmal Omar Shinwari, Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) spokesperson, was quoted as saying by the channel.

Shinwari said that 1,500 Taliban fighters were killed and 800 more were wounded in Afghan forces operations over the past week.

The Taliban has rejected the claim.

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TOLO News also reported citing the country’s defence ministry that the Afghan security forces retook control of the Saighan and Kahmard districts in Bamiyan and Chakhansur district in Nimroz.

“In an operation that began this (Friday) morning, districts were retaken in a short time by security forces, and the country’s flag was raised back on the districts,” Bamiyan governor Tahir Zuhair said, according to the channel.