At least 269 Taliban members have been killed in military operations in 13 Afghan provinces. The country’s defense ministry has confirmed the information. In the last 24 hours, the operations were carried out in Lagman, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar, Ghazni, Paktia, Kandahar, Herat, Balkh, Juzjan, Helmand, Kunduz, and Kapisa provinces of Afghanistan, according to a statement from Erin News, citing a statement from the ministry.
Another 18 Taliban members were wounded in the raids. The army recovered a large number of weapons and ammunition from the Taliban. However, the Taliban has rejected the Afghan Defense Ministry’s figures.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Defense Ministry has rejected the Taliban’s demand for control of 90 percent of Afghanistan’s borders. Ministry spokesman Fouad Aman said the area under Afghan government control was expanding and districts that had been lost were being recaptured one by one from the Taliban.
In other news from Afghanistan’s Herat province, the army has repulsed a major Taliban offensive in the Karakh district. Afghan government troops recaptured the district from the Taliban on Friday.
Many civilians were also killed in the clashes. Besides, millions of people have lost their homes. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has approved an emergency fund of মিল 100 million to address the refugee crisis in Afghanistan and the use of special visas for Afghans loyal to the United States. The White House said Friday that in the current context of Afghanistan, the money is being used to help those who are at risk, including refugees, displaced persons and victims of violence.
President Biden recently announced the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan, ending nearly two decades of war. NATO troops are also returning. The withdrawal is expected to be completed by September 11. But since the announcement of the withdrawal, the Taliban’s clashes with Afghan security forces have escalated. Almost every day there are killings of ordinary people.