The province has been the scene of recent heavy clashes…reports Asian Lite News
A key Taliban divisional commander has been arrested in Afghanistan’s northern province of Takhar, amidst the ongoing violence in country, a local spokesman confirmed on Monday.
“Rohullah Rohani and one of his protectors have been arrested following an operative task conducted by personnel National Directorate of Security (NDS), or national intelligence agency in Yangi Qala district in Takhar,” the spokesman told Xinhua news agency.
The province has been the scene of recent heavy clashes.
The Taliban militant group has not responded to the report so far.
The report came as Taliban militants have attacked security forces and captured several suburban districts across Afghanistan in recent weeks.
In neighbouring Kunduz province, Afghan national security forces launched a counter-attack early Monday and evict militants from Khan Abad district which was captured by Taliban militants over the weekend, local officials confirmed.
Since the official withdrawal of the US and other NATO troops in Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been displaced in the past few weeks.
The withdrawal of international troops is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.
4 soldiers killed
Four soldiers of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) were killed in an improvised explosive device explosion in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, an army statement said.
The blast took place in the provincial capital of Quetta on Monday, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement.
A large-scale area sanitisation operation by FC Balochistan to hunt the terrorists is underway, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.
The ISPR said in the statement that “such cowardly acts by inimical elements cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan”.
“Security forces are determined to neutralize their nefarious designs even at the cost of blood and lives,” it added.
Located along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Balochistan have faced serious security challenges from terrorists based within the province and across the border in the past.
A spike in terrorist activities in the province has been witnessed over the last few months with frequent attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
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