Taliban has been under increasing pressure by government forces on multiple fronts and has suffered a major setback in different regions over the last few weeks as they have mounted their attacks on Afghanistan's defense and security forces, the Afghan intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Saraj said. 

Saraj said that 1,500 Taliban militants were killed in just one week. The Defense Ministry said Saturday that 210 Taliban fighters were killed in counterattacks by Afghan forces in 18 provinces in the last 24 hours.  

Saraj said that the pressure by Afghan forces on the Taliban has created cracks among their ranks, mounting pressure on their designated military chief Mullah Yaqub. 

“Casualties have also created major problems among their leadership. Pressure has increased on Mullah Yaqub because he has failed to use these people in their desired directions; therefore, they have started recruiting children,” Saraj said. 

Taliban has rejected the figures on their casualties. 

Saraj said that Afghan forces have managed to repel a series of Taliban’s massive offensives on a few strategic locations across the country. 

At the same news conference, National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib in response to a question about reports on Pakistan halting contacts with him, said that such reports are not true. 

“Relations with Pakistan whether it is there or not have no big impact. The relations have never been good so far,” said Mohib.