Taliban offensives in eastern Afghanistan fail as 13 militants killed: Police

Xinhua News Agency

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Taliban group as part of its yearly spring offensive launched coordinated attacks on several districts of Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan Wednesday morning but fled the area after leaving 13 bodies behind, provincial police chief Abdul Habib Sayedkhil said.

"Taliban fighters launched coordinated attacks on security checkpoints in Shigal, Ghazi Abad, Marawara and Sarkano districts at 04:00 a.m. local time today triggering gun battle but fled away after suffering 13 dead and leaving the bodies behind on the ground," Sayedkhil told Xinhua.

About 17 more militants have been injured in the fighting lasted for few hours, the official asserted.

However, the official confirmed that two policemen and one civilians sustained injuries during the firefight in the said districts.

Meantime, hospital sources in Asadabad told Xinhua that eight injured persons including three civilians and five policemen had been taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Taliban outfit, which launched its annual offensive on April 12, in an online statement, confirmed fighting in Kunar province, claiming several security checkpoints have been targetted.