A Taliban attack on Pashtun Kot district in Faryab was thwarted on Saturday night, the 209 Shaheen Military Corps said in a statement.

The attack took place about 08:30 pm in Pashtun Kot after dozens of insurgents attacked security check points and clashed with security forces, the statement said.

“At least 53 Taliban were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the attack,” the statement read, saying that the Taliban had been routed and were retreating.

The statement also claimed: “The fighting lasted for several hours and Qari Alauddin, Sofi Hamidullah and Qari Mohammad, key Taliban members, are among the dead.”

The Taliban have confirmed the clashes but have rejected the casualty numbers.