Share

At least 7 killed in Taliban attack on south west Afghanistan army outpost - officials

accreditation
0:00
play article
Subscribers can listen to this article
An Afghan National Army soldier looks towards the Pakistani border.
An Afghan National Army soldier looks towards the Pakistani border.
John Moore/Getty Images
  • Taliban blew up an army outpost in Afghanistan's south western Farah and killed at least seven soldiers.
  • One soldier is suspected to have been captured by the insurgents.
  • The blast also wounded 21 people, including children.


Taliban insurgents attacked an army outpost in Afghanistan's south western Farah province killing at least seven soldiers, local officials said on Monday, as the country braces for violence after 1 May, a previously agreed deadline for foreign troop withdrawal.

In a video message to media, Farah Governor Taj Mohammad Jahid said the Taliban had blown up an army outpost after digging a 400-metre tunnel to access it from a nearby house. He added that one soldier had also been captured by the insurgents.

Two local officials, one speaking on condition of anonymity, said dozens of military including elite commando forces had been killed. Provincial council member Khayer Mohammad Noorzai said that around 30 had died in the attack and that the base was in the hands of the Taliban.

A Taliban spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Officials said a blast in the province's capital on Monday had wounded 21 people, including five children. Farah Public Health Director Abdul Jabar Shayeq said three of the injured were in hospital in critical condition.

ALSO READ | Afghan retreat: US formally withdrawing from its longest war

Afghanistan's capital was placed on high alert over the weekend and security in urban centres ramped up while the head of foreign forces in Afghanistan warned insurgents against attacking foreign troops as they withdraw from the country over the coming months.

Under a February 2020 deal between former US President Donald Trump's administration and the Taliban, foreign forces were to withdraw from the country by 1 May while the hardline Islamist group held off on attacking foreign troops and bases.

But US President Joe Biden announced last month after reviewing the situation that US forces would instead complete their withdrawal by 11 September, more than four months later than the previous plan.

Violence against Afghans has escalated in recent weeks, with more than a hundred Afghan security forces personnel killed. On Friday, a huge blast in eastern Logar killed dozens as they broke their fast during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.


Did you know you can comment on this article? Subscribe to News24 and add your voice to the conversation.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
42% - 417 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
58% - 587 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.0%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.41
+0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.1%
Platinum
908.05
+1.2%
Palladium
1,014.94
+1.3%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE