Weekend violence claims dozens of lives in Afghanistan

By Zabihullah Tamanna

KABUL, Afghanistan

At least 30 Taliban militants, including four foreign fighters, were killed in a U.S. drone strike and Afghan security force operations on Saturday, said local officials have claimed.

Eastern Nangarhar provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said a strike in Haska Mina left 10 insurgents dead on Saturday afternoon

“At least four foreign militants were among those killed in the attack,” added Mashriqiwal.

He said at least 15 Taliban militants were also killed by Afghan security forces during counter-terror operations launched in Khogyani, Shirzad and Hisarak districts of the province.

At least nine insurgents were wounded during the Shirzad clashes, he said, claiming that Afghan forces did not suffer any casualties.

Another operation by Afghan military forces on Saturday in Ghanikhil district left at least five militants dead, it was claimed.

Meanwhile, in northern Kunduz province, at least 22 Afghan Local Police (ALP) personnel – pro-government militia forces – were killed and 12 others wounded after a suicide car bomber targeted their meeting in Khan Abad district on early Saturday evening.

Provincial police spokesman, Mohammad Sarwar Hussieni, said the attacker detonated his explosive-laden vehicle near the meeting of ALP. Reportedly, four militia commanders also were killed in the incident.

The Taliban group’s self-proclaimed spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, took responsibility for the attack.

He claimed at least 31 ALP members, including seven commanders, were killed while 26 others were wounded in the attack.