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| Afghanistan |
| Taliban, Afghan soldiers clash |
| 2003-08-29 |
| At least three Afghan government soldiers were killed and a commander kidnapped overnight when suspected Taliban guerrillas attacked checkpoints close to the Pakistan border, an official said on Friday. A commander from the ousted hardline militia, toppled from power in Afghanistan in late 2001, said 15 Afghan government soldiers were killed in two raids. Ah, but who to believe? Spin Boldak’s district deputy police chief Mullah Abdul Manan told Reuters, Taliban fighters attacked posts at Kanjasu and Shero Oba, both east of the border town of Spin Boldak, and at Bambul, southeast of the town. All are within a few kilometres (miles) of the Afghan-Pakistan border. Mana said three Afghan soldiers were killed when guerrillas attacked the posts with small arms and rockets, and one commander, Haji Wali Shah, was kidnapped. Four Taliban were wounded, but escaped towards Pakistan. The Afghan government says most Taliban fighters are crossing from Pakistan to carry out attacks, and blames Pakistan for not doing enough to stop them. Not doing anything, as far as I can see. Mullah Abdul Samad, a Taliban commander, told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location that 15 government soldiers were killed in the attacks. He also said one Afghan army vehicle was destroyed and one commander was kidnapped. According to Samad, nine Afghan soldiers were slain in Bambul and six in Kanjasu, but he did not know of any casualties at Shero Oba. I tend to believe the government figures, they have the dead while the taliban shot and ran away. |
| Posted by:Steve |