Buoyed with US air strikes, Afghan security forces push back Taliban
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New Delhi :Bouyed by support from the international community and air strikes by the United States, the Afghanistan National Defence Security Forces (ANDSF) have begun the pushback against the Taliban with latest reports from ground indicating fierce fighting in 20 provinces including Ghazni, Takhar, Kandahar, Helmand and Baghlan. The Taliban with Pakistan fighters within ranks have suffered heavy casualties in these attacks.The action against the Sunni Pashtun insurgent group also includes keeping the important highways of the country safe. The Afghanistan government has stepped up the security of Maymana-Aqina, Hairatan–Kabul-Torkham, Spin Boldak-Kandahar city-Lashkarga and Islam Qala-Herat highways to ensure free movement of security forces.
The ANDSF cleared several villages along the highway of insurgents and defused at least nine improvised explosive devices or IEDs according to inetlligence reports from Afghanistan. They also foiled an attack on India-built and funded Salma Dam in Herat, in which a number of Taliban fighters were killed and five others injured.
The security cover of Kabul and other important cities, including Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kandahar city and Herat, has also been increased.
The local leaders are encouraging the people to raise arms against the Taliban. Daikundi-based Shia cleric, AyatullahWahizada, has even issued a fatwa to motivate people to do so.
