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AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN-CLASH
40 killed over past 24 hours as Afghan gov’t pushes for talks with Taliban
KABUL, Aug 31, 2020 (BSS/XINHUA) – At least 40 fighters with majority of
them militants were killed across Afghanistan over the past 24 hours as the
Afghan government has been pushing for talks with the Taliban to end the war,
officials said Monday.
In the latest waves of violent incident, five militants were killed on the
spot as military planes struck a Taliban hideout in Imam Sahib district of
the northern Kunduz province on Monday, district governor Mahboubullah Sayedi
said.
The government forces, according to the official, have made headway in
Imam Sahib district and cleared over a dozen villages from the insurgents in
the troubled district over the past couple of days.
A total of 37 villages have also been cleared of militants in Andkhoi,
Qargan and Khawja Sabzposh districts of the northern Faryab province over the
past 24 hours, forcing the Taliban fighters to retreat after leaving 18
bodies behind and incurring injuries of 10 fighters, provincial police
spokesman Mohammad Karim Yurash told Xinhua.
At least 17 more fighters including six Afghan security personnel and 11
Taliban insurgents had been killed in the country over the past 24 hours,
according to local security officials.
Fighting has been continuing amid efforts to bring the government and
Taliban on negotiating table.
Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, who has announced a 46-member High
Council for National Reconciliation led by Abdullah Abdullah for talks with
the Taliban, said his government wants early return of lasting peace in the
country.
Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah
said he hoped that peace talks with the Taliban would kick off next week.
He also said the government is pushing for talks with the Taliban to find
a permanent solution to the country’s lingering crisis. Endit
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 1718 hrs