Taliban attack on Afghanistan army base kills 10 soldiers

At least 10 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a Taliban attack on a military base in the southern Helmand province, officials said. 

The Taliban detonated a bomb before storming the compound in Sangin district, followed by an hourslong gunbattle on Saturday, Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor said. 

The attack also wounded four soldiers, he said.

There were 18 soldiers in the base at the time of the attack “providing security to the people of Sangin”, Nawab Zadran, a spokesman for 215 Maiwand Army Corps in southern Afghanistan, said. 

In a statement sent to media, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the fighters also seized weapons and ammunition.

The Taliban have increased their attacks in recent days on Afghan army bases and checkpoints across different provinces.

On Thursday, a similar attack killed six Afghan soldiers as a Taliban suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car outside an army compound in the northern Balkh province.

Another attack on a checkpoint in Balkh province killed at least seven Afghan soldiers on Tuesday.

On Monday, a US soldier was killed in combat in northern Kunduz province. The Taliban claimed they were behind a fatal roadside bombing that targeted American and Afghan forces in Kunduz.

Deadly violence continues to grip Afghanistan even as the United States and the Taliban negotiate talks aimed at reducing US’ military footprint in the country in return for the fighters ensuring an improved security situation.