More than 130 persons including 102 security forces and 28 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan in the four days preceding Monday, June 7. On Saturday, at least 11 civilians were killed in a roadside bomb in Badghis province.
Though no militant outfit has taken responsibility for the explosion, the governor of Badghis blamed the Taliban.
Between June 3 and 4, as many as 119 individuals were reportedly killed in a number of clashes in at least 10 provinces. At least 196 Afghan security forces were also injured in this period.
Tolo news reported that the casualties inflicted on the insurgents were also heavy. Around 300 Taliban members were assumed to have been killed across eight provinces, as per the Afghan Defense Ministry. These numbers were however contested by a Taliban spokesperson. No independent sources could confirm the exact figures, while the number of encounters, explosions, target killings and civilians being attacked has clearly gone up in the past week.
According to several reports, Qaysar district, located in northern Faryab province, was almost captured by the insurgents following the day-long heavy firing that was reported in the center of the district on June 6. The insurgents took control of police headquarters and the municipal building, while arresting and injuring a number of security forces.
Earlier in May, at least 624 people, including 302 civilians and 322 security forces, were killed in a number of bomb blasts, target killings and violent encounters especially in Baghlan, Laghman and Maidan Wardak provinces.
With foreign troops set to officially leave Afghanistan by September 11, the Taliban continues to intensify its attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints across Afghanistan.
