Daily Times

KABUL – Afghan security forces have started military operations in parts of Musa Qala district of Helmand province to recapture the area from Taliban, officials said on Friday.

Helmand government spokesman Omar Zowak told Tolo news that the Afghan forces have started a large scale operation in Musa Qala district and at the moment clashes were going on between the forces and the Taliban. Zowak did not provide details about casualties.

On Wednesday, officials from Musa Qala said that the area was in danger of collapsing into the hands of the Taliban. However, there was contradictory reports with some Provincial Council members who said that Musa Qala had already collapsed to the Taliban. In addition, they say insurgents have torched a clinic and a school.

On Wednesday, the council members said the insurgents have also stolen a radio system from the police forces. But Helmand Deputy Governor Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar has not confirmed reports of its collapse but said that heavy clashes continue and that by Thursday more than 150 insurgents had so far been killed.

The Afghan and foreign air forces are also supporting the ground forces in the battlefield, according to the officials. In addition, the insurgents once again had retaken control of Astana Baba area of Sheren Tagab district of Faryab province. Sheren Tagab district governor Loqman Gahrik said that Astana Baba area once again collapsed to the Taliban on Wednesday.

According to the officials, the area was cleared of insurgents in an operation led by Afghanistan’s first Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum in which more than 80 villages were cleared, 50 Taliban were killed, four were arrested and more than a hundred joined the government’s peace process. The district governor said that after Dostum left for Sar-e-Pul the Taliban used the opportunity to carry out attacks and re-captured most parts of the Astana Baba area.

According to the district governor, more than 50 local policemen disappeared after the attack. In another operation, Afghan troops have retaken Kohistan district of Sar-e-Pul province. According to the Ministry of Defence, the district has been cleared of insurgents by the Afghan forces but that the operation continues.