35 Killed in Attacks Across Afghanistan
KABUL (Dispatches) – At least 35 people, including Taliban militants, have been killed in separate attacks across Afghanistan, officials say.
Afghan officials said on Sunday that six militants attacked a school in the Spin Boldak district in eastern part of Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province.
"All the attackers were killed by police. Also, one local policeman and one child were killed in the attack,” said Deputy Interior Minister Ayoub Salangi.
The Afghan Interior Ministry also said that 21 militants were killed in military operations in Herat, Ghor, Paktia, Nooristan, Helmand, Logar and Baghlan provinces, while five others were killed in an overnight operation in Helmand Province.
Taliban has stepped up its attacks against the Afghan government, foreign forces and civilians. The group has vowed to escalate the attacks on Afghan forces and US-led troops, their bases, diplomatic missions and vehicle convoys before the drawdown of the US-led foreign forces by the end of the year.
According to Afghan and UN officials, more than 2,500 Afghan civilians were killed and over 5,000 others wounded in Taliban-led violence last year.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but years into the invasion, the country is still grappling with insecurity.
Meanwhile, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan has sharply censured the death of over a dozen civilians at the hands of suspected Taliban militants in the war-ravaged country’s central province of Ghor.
On Saturday, UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom described the execution-style killing of 15 civilians in the Ghor Province as "deeply troubling, especially when Afghans nationwide are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families.”
The UN official further offered condolences to the families of the victims, calling for a "prompt and thorough” investigation into the incident.
"All the attackers were killed by police. Also, one local policeman and one child were killed in the attack,” said Deputy Interior Minister Ayoub Salangi.
The Afghan Interior Ministry also said that 21 militants were killed in military operations in Herat, Ghor, Paktia, Nooristan, Helmand, Logar and Baghlan provinces, while five others were killed in an overnight operation in Helmand Province.
Taliban has stepped up its attacks against the Afghan government, foreign forces and civilians. The group has vowed to escalate the attacks on Afghan forces and US-led troops, their bases, diplomatic missions and vehicle convoys before the drawdown of the US-led foreign forces by the end of the year.
According to Afghan and UN officials, more than 2,500 Afghan civilians were killed and over 5,000 others wounded in Taliban-led violence last year.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but years into the invasion, the country is still grappling with insecurity.
Meanwhile, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan has sharply censured the death of over a dozen civilians at the hands of suspected Taliban militants in the war-ravaged country’s central province of Ghor.
On Saturday, UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom described the execution-style killing of 15 civilians in the Ghor Province as "deeply troubling, especially when Afghans nationwide are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families.”
The UN official further offered condolences to the families of the victims, calling for a "prompt and thorough” investigation into the incident.