Clashes between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front (NRF) have reportedly ended in north-eastern Badakhshan province after at least 12 days of heavy fighting, sources confirmed Monday, adding that a heavy casualty toll was recorded by both sides.
Multiple sources said the casualty toll, on both sides, was the highest seen since the former government collapsed 14 months ago.
Sources from both sides confirmed at least 34 Taliban members and 42 resistance fighters were killed in the clashes that intensified on October 12 when Badakhshan’s newly-appointed Taliban governor, Amanuddin Mansoor, announced an offensive against the anti-Taliban front in the province, which he then led.
Among those killed in the clashes were two key NRF commanders, Abdul Hamid Mujahid and Sayed Bahruddin.
The clashes happened in Yaftal, Raghistan and Shewa area on the outskirts of Faizabad city, the center of Badakhshan.
NRF captured and killed
Nematullah, a Badakhshan resident, said at least six members of the resistance front were captured by the Taliban, taken to the city of Faizabad and “beheaded.”
The NRF spokesman, Sebghat Ahmadi, confirmed the death of two of their commanders along with other members of the movement in Badakhshan over the past week, but did not reveal numbers of dead or wounded nor did he give details on how they were killed.
The Taliban meanwhile announced that the clashes ended on Sunday.
“In the past week, in the mujahideen’s offensive operation in Badakhshan, 38 insurgents were killed and 78 were arrested,” a Taliban spokesman in Badakhshan, Moezuddin Ahmadi, said.
But he put the Taliban casualties at three dead and five wounded.
Clashes in Takhar
Sources from Takhar meanwhile said at least eight Taliban members were killed in an ambush by the resistance front forces in Wursaj district early Monday morning.
Aziz Ahmad, a Takhar resident, said six more Taliban members were wounded in the attack.
A source from the Taliban confirmed the incident and said a Taliban convoy was on its way from Wursaj district to Yumgan when it was attacked by the resistance front. The source said some Taliban members were killed in the attack.
NRF spokesman, in a tweet, confirmed the clash and said the Taliban had sustained casualties.
Parts of Takhar, including Wursaj and Dasht-e-Qala district, have witnessed clashes between Taliban and the resistance front over the past two days.
