[ToloNews] Taliban...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
on Friday morning launched an attack on the Dostrict 7 of Kandahar city and took over at least two security outposts, sources said. But security officials said Afghan forces prevented the group from advancing in the area.
Taliban has control over 10 districts in Kandahar.
"There isn't any big issue there. I can assure the residents of Kandahar. We will not allow the Taliban to enter into the city until we are alive," said Rohullah Khanzada, the governor of Kandahar.
"The situation is under control, there are no worries. The people should be assured that their brave sons will defend them," said Salim Ehsas, the Kandahar police commander.
"They (Taliban) wanted to launch an attack around the highway, many of them were killed and their bodies were left there," said Mohammad Hashem Rekwal, a police officer in Takhtapol area in Kandahar.
"There are threats around city belts in PD7. There is a good coordination and we are fully ready along our soldiers," said former MP Lalai Hamidzai.
The Afghan cops are also fighting Taliban in centers of Kunduz, Baghlan, Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
, Ghazni, Faryab and Maidan Wardak provinces.
"If the government does not bring a systematic reform in the strategy, programs and the leadership of the war, if the people do not get mobilized behind the government, I think the Taliban will be emboldened further," said MP Aref Rahmani.
The Defense Ministry said on Friday evening that Afghan forces retook the control of Ali Abad district in Kunduz province from the Taliban.
"The government forces have launched their operations to retake those areas that were lost. Massive casualties have been inflicted to them," said Rohullah Ahmadzai, front man for the Ministry of Defense.
The Taliban has rejected the government’s claim of inflicting casualties among the group fighters.