Friday, June 29, 2012

20 rebels killed in massive Nuristan assault

Kamdesh District in the Nuristan Province in A...
Kamdesh District in the Nuristan Province in Afghanistan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
JALALABAD (PAN): Hundreds of heavily armed militants, mostly Pakistanis, attacked security posts in two villages in the Kamdish district of eastern Nuristan province, sparking a fierce gun-battle, officials said on Friday.

The skirmishes in Pirok and Binoz villages erupted early on Friday morning, with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy casualties.

The governor's spokesman, Mohammad Zarin, told Pajhwok Afghan News hundreds of militants laced with heavy weapons attacked the two villages near the Pakistani border.

He claimed the Pirok village was completely torched during the clash and 20 attackers, most of them Pakistani fighters, have so far been killed.

He added bodies of the slain insurgents were still lying there. However, he had no information if civilians suffered any casualties because the clash in one of the villages was still ongoing.

Zarin said the clash in Pirok village had ended, but was ongoing in Binoz village. He added they had called for assistance from the defence and interior ministries and international troops.

A border police spokesman Mohammad Idrees Mohmand said a key Taliban commander identified as Maulvi Abbas was among 25 rebels killed in the clash.

But a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told Pajhwok over the telephone that nine security check posts were seized and 15 security personnel were killed during clashes in Kamdish district.

He also confirmed that the clash was still ongoing, with the fighters occupying more security posts.

He acknowledged the death of only two fighters in the clash, but stopped short of giving information about who torched the Pirok village.

Security officials said an estimated 60 to 80 militants launched the massive attack on Afghan National Police (ANP) checkposts at around 3am.

The militants used small arm and rocket-propelled grenade during the hours-long clashes.


from Pajhwok
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