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| Afghanistan |
| Taliban continue blocking Kunduz road |
| 2017-07-05 |
| The battle between security forces and the Taliban continued Tuesday along the Kabul-Kunduz highway in the volatile Ali Abad district – which connects northern Baghlan province with Kunduz. The battle has in the past three days left more than 40 insurgents dead, local officials claim. Ali Abad district is just a few kilometers to the east of Kunduz city. Local officials meanwhile said the Taliban have been stopping motorists and their passengers traveling along the highway. They said the insurgents have so far killed three of them, and simply left their bodies on the side of the road. Madrassa and Omarkhail villages in Ali Abad are main strongholds of the Taliban in the battle, the Ali Abad district governor Faqiri told TOLOnews. “They (Taliban) established check points (on the highway) to identify government officials and security force members, to kill them and to threaten the area,” Faqiri said. TOLOnews reporter Hamid Shirzai said the Taliban’s check posts were visible on the Baghlan-Kunduz highway from the security forces’ frontline. Police soldiers said they need reinforcements ‘to push back the militants’. “The enemy has been pushed back. We are committed to defending our soil with our hearts and souls,” police soldier Fazl-ul-Haq said. “I assure the Kunduz residents that your sons (security forces) are ready to defend the residents of Kunduz. We are ready to defend Kunduz province with our blood,” said Sayed Qurban Musawi, the executive officer of Pamir 20th Division in Kunduz. Taliban attacked security check posts in Talulka area in the outskirts of Kunduz city, the Aljeen Bridge in Kunduz city and Ali Abad district along Kabul-Kunduz highway on Sunday. |
| Posted by:badanov |