3 districts fall to Taliban militants amid increasing conflicts in Afghanistan

By Xinhua Published: May 25, 2021 09:03 AM

Afghan army soldiers take part in a military operation against Taliban militants in Mehterlam, Laghman province, Afghanistan, on May 24, 2021. Taliban militants have seized three districts over the past weeks amid increasing militancy and counter-militancy in war-torn Afghanistan, local media reported. In its latest attempt to gain ground, the Taliban militants overrun Jalriz district in eastern Wardak province and Dawlat Shah district in Laghman province.(Photo: Xinhua)

Taliban militants have seized three districts over the past weeks amid increasing militancy and counter-militancy in war-torn Afghanistan, local media reported.

In its latest attempt to gain ground, the Taliban militants overrun Jalriz district in eastern Wardak province and Dawlat Shah district in Laghman province.

The Taliban militants also captured Burka district in northern Baghlan province early in May in the wake of fierce fighting.

Security officials said that the security forces have made "tactical retreat" from the said areas.

Spokesman for the Defense Ministry Rohullah Ahmadzai in talks with local media on Monday blamed the Taliban insurgents for using civilians as human shields and planting mines in the areas to slow down the security forces advance.

Justifying the "tactical retreat" as part of war strategy, Ahmadzai said that the security forces are capable enough to evict the militants from the areas, noting protecting civilians and cleaning mines take time.

Taliban militants have intensified activities in eastern Laghman and northern Baghlan provinces over the past weeks. They are attempting to tighten noose around important highways linking Kabul to the northern and eastern provinces.

Chief of Army Staff General Mohammad Yasin Zia visited Laghman's provincial capital Mehterlam on Monday, saying the militants' attempts to gain ground had been foiled and the security situation there has been improved.

More than 50 militants were killed and some 60 others injured during cleanup operations in Laghman, the provincial government said in a statement on Monday.

Cleanup operation has also been continuing in northern Baghlan as some three dozen militants were killed and injured since Sunday in the restive province, an army statement confirmed.

Taliban militants have intensified activities since the start of the U.S.-led forces withdrawal from Afghanistan on May 1.

In the meantime, former Afghan spy chief Rahmatullah Nabil believes that the Taliban outfit has been attempting to take control of highways and tighten noose around Kabul before the completion of the foreign forces pullout, probably in July or September, to secure upper hand at any possible talks with the government.

The intra-Afghan talks in Turkey under the auspices of the United Nations was scheduled in March. But it has been repeatedly postponed due to Taliban's reluctance to attend, according to Afghan officials.