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AFGHANISTAN-CLASH-DEATH
2 Afghan soldiers, 12 militants killed in clashes
MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Dec 26, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – Two Afghan army soldiers
and 12 Taliban militants have been killed in clashes in northern province of
Faryab overnight, authorities said Wednesday.
In one incident, eight militants and two Afghan National Army troops lost
their lives after soldiers fought back on attackers on security checkpoints
in Almar district in provincial capital Maimana, Abdul Hadi Jamal, a press
officer of the army’s Division 20 Pamir based in the region, told Xinhua.
Two soldiers and five militants were wounded and two shops caught fire in
the district bazaar in the exchange of fire, he said.
In Gurziwan district, west of Maimana, four Taliban militants were killed
and three others wounded in another clash Tuesday night, according to Jamal.
A local Taliban leader named Hamidullah who served as shadow district
governor for Gurziwan were among the injured.
Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads
from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to once peaceful
regions in the north, where Taliban have been recruiting from the youth.
The militant group has not made a comment on the report so far.
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 1538 hrs