Taliban for the first time on Wednesday morning launched group attacks from a few directions on Jaghori district, one of Afghanistan’s most secure districts in Ghazni province, and according to Ministry of Interior clashes are still ongoing.
Mohammad Arif Noori, Ghazni governor’s spokesman said Taliban attacked Jaghori from Gailan district.
“Last night the armed anti-government group (Taliban) attacked two border check posts of local police in Angory area of Jaghori from Rasanai area of Gailan district,” Mohammad Arif Noori, Ghazni governor’s spokesman said.
Interior ministry said six police soldiers have been wounded so far in the clashes.
Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said security forces have withdrawn from two outposts after clashes intensified but said additional troops have since arrived along with equipment in the district.
“Enough equipment has arrived via air to our forces and backup forces have been deployed there. The situation is under our control, but clashes are still ongoing,” said Danish.
Ghazni MPs in the Wolesi Jirga (the Lower House of Parliament) meanwhile accused government, especially security departments, of being negligent regarding the Jaghori attack.
The MPs said although they repeatedly urged government to send backup forces to Jaghori and save people from Taliban’s attacks, security departments did nothing to help.
“Government must defend the lives and properties of the people,” MP Abdul Qayyum Sajjadi said.
“No action has been taken and the security officials with their false promises and irresponsible and negligent behavior have allowed the terror attacks and death of our people to increase,” MP Shah Gul Rezaie said.
President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazavi initially stated on his Facebook page that helicopters were in Jaghori air space to fight the enemy.
He also wrote that Jaghori will become the burial site of the Taliban.
Taliban however said security forces have suffered a high casualty toll and that they have taken control of 25 outposts of security forces in the district.
The Jaghori district clashes come just three months after Taliban launched group attacks on Ghazni and seized part of the city.