Afghanistan insurgents take control of northern district
23 Jun 2015 5:23 AM IST
Mohammad <g data-gr-id="25">Yusouf</g> Ayubi, head of the provincial council in Kunduz, said on Sunday that Taliban fighters established control of the district after two days of attacks on local security forces.
Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, <g data-gr-id="22">spokesman</g> for the provincial police chief, said that reinforcements are being dispatched and an operation to retake the district is imminent.
“Right now an intensive gun battle is going on in the area and local people, including women and children, are fleeing the fight,” said Ayubi, adding that the sound of heavy and light weapons fire could be heard in Kunduz city, the provincial capital.
<g data-gr-id="21">Afghan</g> army and police forces have sustained heavy losses in the field against the Taliban following the departure of international combat forces at the end of last year.
The fighting on Saturday in the Chardara district killed three members of the Afghan security forces and wounded six, Hussaini said. Among the Taliban fighters, he estimated that 17 were killed and more than 20 wounded.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in an emailed statement and claimed heavy casualties among the Afghan security forces.
<g data-gr-id="24">Meanwhile</g> a statement from the Afghan Ministry of Interior claimed that Afghan security forces had re-established control of the <g data-gr-id="20">Yamgan</g> district in northeastern Badakhshan province, which fell into Taliban hands earlier this month.
Taliban offer govt workers ‘hotline’ number to defect
The Afghan Taliban have announced a 24-hour telephone “hotline” and email addresses for any government employees wishing to defect to them, as the tech-savvy militants try to bolster public support.
“The Islamic Emirate will provide safety to anybody who defects from the Kabul puppet regime,” the Taliban said in a statement on their website today, using their formal name.
“They can get in touch with us 24/7 through these phone numbers and email addresses,” it added, listing two for each.
The move demonstrates the Taliban’s efforts to boost public support for their <g data-gr-id="50">resilient</g> but unpopular insurgency following a string of defections to the Islamic State group in recent months.
It marks a rare attempt by the Taliban to reach out to government officials, frequently targeted in growing insurgent attacks that have sent casualties soaring.
When AFP called one of the numbers, a militant representative who identified himself as Mullah <g data-gr-id="52">Jalid</g> said they had received more than 20 calls from government employees since the statement was posted. “They all said <g data-gr-id="53">labayk</g> (Arabic for ‘we are at your service’) to our invitation,” <g data-gr-id="54">Jalid</g> said, a claim that was impossible to verify independently.
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