Taliban Seize Afghan Southern City: Officials
KABUL (Tasnim) – Afghan officials announced that Taliban militants have seized control of the southern town of Kajaki, as the armed insurgents mounted a fresh round of attacks against military bases in the war-stricken country.
Kajaki in Helmand Province fell in the hands of the Taliban fighters after their heavy attacks against Afghan military bases in the district.
This is while, the governor of Musa Qala, also in Helmand Province, had previously warned that the town is on the verge of collapse.
Security officials in Baghlan province also announced that after the Afghan military forces retreated from Nowruzak district, the Taliban recaptured the military base in the district last night after a year.
The developments came two days after, Taliban militants stormed a prison in the central Afghan city of Ghazni, killing police and releasing hundreds of prisoners, police said.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said gunmen and three suicide bombers attacked the prison at 2 am (2200 GMT Sunday) and freed 400 prisoners. The three bombers were killed, he said.
Mohammed Ali Ahmadi, deputy governor of Ghazni, said 352 prisoners had escaped, including around 150 Taliban. He said seven Taliban and four members of the Afghan security forces were killed in the attack in Ghazni, about 120 km (75 miles) southwest of the capital, Kabul.
The Taliban are fighting to overthrow the foreign-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani and expel foreign forces from Afghanistan.
