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Afghanistan
Pakistani militants accused of taking over Afghan town
2006-07-19
KABUL: Afghanistan’s deputy interior minister accused Pakistani militants of overrunning a southern Afghan town, which hundreds of Afghan troops, backed by coalition forces, are readying to wrest back. Helmand province’s deputy governor said 300 to 400 Afghan soldiers were heading to the southern town of Garmser, near the Pakistani border, which officials said was taken by Taliban forces on Sunday. “Our soldiers are going to Garmser with the support of the coalition to take it back from the Taliban,” said Amir Mohammed Akhunzada, the deputy governor.

In Kabul, Deputy Interior Minister Abdul Malik Sidiqi accused Pakistan-based Islamic groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of taking over Garmser. Sidiqi said a second Helmand town that had been overrun by militants - Naway-i-Barakzayi - was reclaimed by government forces late on Monday. Meanwhile, Taliban militants vowed to intensify their insurgency with fresh attacks and suicide bombings. “During these operations which will begin today or tomorrow, we’ll take most of the districts in southern and south-central Afghanistan,” purported Taliban spokesman Mohammad Hanif said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the US military said a massive anti-insurgent operation being waged in southern Afghanistan has “seriously disrupted” the Taliban network there, particularly in the northern Helmand districts of Sangin, Musa Qala and Baghran.
Posted by:Fred

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