Deadly battle erupts in Afghanistan

Officials say more than 20 policemen and dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed in eastern province.

Map showing Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan

More than 20 Afghan policemen and dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed when hundreds of fighters ambushed a police and military convoy in eastern Afghanistan, officials said.

The five-hour battle in the Sherzad district of Nangarhar province on Friday occurred after the convoy was attacked as it returned from an operation to rescue a politician being threatened by the Taliban.

“It was an intense battle and insurgents used heavy and light weapons to attack the convoy of our security forces in Sherzad district,” Nangarhar deputy police chief Masoom Khan Hashemi told AFP news agency.

“We lost 22 of our brave policemen, but the militants have been taught a lesson of our strength, their attack was completely repelled and 60 of their fighters were killed,” Hashemi said, adding a further 16 fighters were killed during the rescue of the politician.

The account was confirmed by provincial spokesman Ahmadzia Abdulzai. 

“The military and police launched a successful operation in the district killing 16 Taliban. On their way back they were ambushed in which 60 Taliban were killed. Unfortunately 22 policemen were also martyred in the fighting,” he said.

Contradicting claims

The Taliban, who have been waging a bloody decade-long battle against the Western-backed Kabul government, claimed only five of their fighters and 84 government soldiers were killed in the fighting.

With the US-led coalition due to withdraw its 100,000 combat troops by the end of 2014, the Afghan police and army are increasingly taking responsibility for tackling the rebellion that erupted after the Taliban were ousted in 2001.

The Taliban fighters in the meantime have stepped up their attacks in areas where foreign troops have withdrawn or are in the process of withdrawing.

Afghanistan’s 350,000-strong security forces are suffering a steep rise in casualties as the NATO combat mission winds down and Afghan authorities try to impose stability ahead of the presidential election due in April.

The vote, which will choose a successor to long-time leader President Hamid Karzai, is seen as a key test of whether the US-led international military intervention in Afghanistan has been a success.

Source: AFP