Reports about major incidents of fighting in two provinces of Afghanistan, Zabul and Helmand have come in this week.
Taleban ’storm’ government office in Zabul
In the latest Taliban operation in Afghanistan, militants have seized local government offices in the south-eastern province of Zabul. The Taliban have been issuing persistent claims regarding preparing major attacks against the NATO forces in Afghanistan with the help of thousands of suicide bombers at hand.
The incident took place early Friday, however, since then reports have suggested that the terrorists may have retreated. A local spokesman said police in Khan Afghan district had withdrawn because they did not have enough ammunition.
Restive Helmand under attack again
Other major violence that has been reported recently includes the forever restive Helmand province under attack once again. The Taliban had launched series of attacks in Sangin district of Helmand province earlier in the week. However, reports say that they have been forced out of the town of Sangin by Nato and Afghan troops. The western troops launched a military operation to force the Taliban out of the province, which succeeded.
The operation was called Operation Achilles. Hundreds of troops were airlifted into Helmand as part of the operation. News reports indicate the operation began on Wednesday night and involved more than 1,000 troops, including 42 Commando Royal Marines battle group, an Estonian armoured infantry company and elements from a Danish reconnaissance unit. Chinook, Black Hawk and Apache helicopters were used to support the mission.
Brigadier Jerry Thomas, the commander of the UK taskforce in Helmand, said
The aim of this operation was to clear the Taleban from the Sangin area and re-establish the authority of the government of Afghanistan in Sangin to create a secure, stable and prosperous environment in which reconstruction and development can take place. In the last two days we have made significant gains in pushing the Taleban from the area and that operation continues
Further violence
Other news about violence include car bomb attacks in the capital city of Kabul that killed a number of people on Friday. Six to be exact, including one policeman, as told by President Karzai to various news agencies. The bomber blew himself up in his car when approached by police, officers at the scene were quoted as saying.
Afghanistan experienced the worst surge of violence in its history last year, and the trend certainly seems to extending to this year as well.
Via: BBC
