Attack on Afghanistan army post leaves 60 militants dead
1 May 2014 5:44 AM IST
Nato air support was called in to help beat back the attack that left 60 militants and at least five Afghan soldiers dead at an army base near the porous border on Monday night. ‘A group of terrorists and foreign fighters numbering about 500... launched a big operation targeting army posts in Zirok district of Paktika province,’ the Afghan defence ministry said in a statement.
It said the militants were trying to score a high-profile victory after failing to mount a significant attack on polling day despite threatening to target voters, election officials and security forces. The Afghan National Directorate of Security, the country’s intelligence agency, said 300 fighters from the Haqqani network, which is allied to the Taliban, and other insurgents were involved.
‘Haqqani and foreign fighters along with suicide attackers carried out an assault on the night of 28 April to capture a military base in Zirok district,’ it said. ‘As a result of a counter-attack by government forces backed by coalition airforce, 60 members of Haqqani and other foreign fighters were killed and a large number injured.’
It said the militants were trying to score a high-profile victory after failing to mount a significant attack on polling day despite threatening to target voters, election officials and security forces. The Afghan National Directorate of Security, the country’s intelligence agency, said 300 fighters from the Haqqani network, which is allied to the Taliban, and other insurgents were involved.
‘Haqqani and foreign fighters along with suicide attackers carried out an assault on the night of 28 April to capture a military base in Zirok district,’ it said. ‘As a result of a counter-attack by government forces backed by coalition airforce, 60 members of Haqqani and other foreign fighters were killed and a large number injured.’
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