455 Taliban fighters dead, over 230 wounded in Afghanistan military operations

The battle which started with the insurgent group Taliban seeking to re-establish Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan has now escalated to bone-rattling strikes and counter strikes. In the latest development, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANDSF) conducted a joint operation along with the Afghan Air Force (AAF) leading to the elimination of more than 400 terrorists in the past 24 hours. It is imperative to note that the Central Asian country’s military forces have been continuously striking Taliban hideouts since Saturday leading to deaths of tens of fighters, destruction of mass ammunition as well as shelling of multiple terrorist hideouts. 

In the latest update, the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that a total of 455 terrorists were killed while another 232 were wounded in the combative operations. As per the ministry, the troops targeted Afghan camps in the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktia, Paktika, Logar, Kandahar, Herat, Faryab, Jowzjan, Balkh, Samangan, Helmand, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan & Kapisa. Previously, the ministry shared a video of the airstrike that it conducted in Zherai. The six-second video captures the exact moment when the missiles landed on the terrorist camps. 

Since May, the Taliban has seized several key Afghani border areas and posts, launching a major offensive after the complete drawdown of the US-led coalition forces from the region and ending the 20-year cold war between war-torn Afghanistan and President Joe Biden-led State. 

Taliban has become 'more cruel' 

Taliban has become "more cruel and oppressive,” Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani lashed out on Sunday as the war-ravaged country witnessed relentless violence and chaos with its key border crossings falling into the hands of the Talibani terrorists. Amid the sweeping offensive across north Afghanistan, Ghani held a virtual cabinet meeting with his officials wherein he said: "Yes, they (Taliban) have changed but negatively. They have no wish for peace, for prosperity, or progress; we want peace, but they want 'surrendered, subdued people and the government'.”

"They will not engage in meaningful negotiations unless the situation changes on the battlefield; therefore, we should have a clear stance. For this, there is a need for a countrywide mobilization,” Afghanistan’s President told officials in his remarks, as cited by the ANI news agency. 

Image: MODAfghan/Twitter