Afghan security forces backed by American air power repelled a Taliban assault on the strategic city of Ghazni on Friday, but only after insurgents managed to overrun parts of the city and engage government troops in an extended firefight.
As militants attacked from four directions, Afghan soldiers traded fire in a battle that began in the early morning hours and continued into late afternoon.
The Taliban attackers burned police checkpoints and occupied civilian houses, from where they were able to snipe at security forces that deployed to the area, Reuters reported, citing local security officials.
Afghan forces stopped the Taliban advance toward the city center after calling in support from U.S. attack helicopters and drone aircraft, but it was unclear whether the government had regained full control of the city as of Friday afternoon local time.
Casualty counts for the battle were mixed, but the Afghan defense ministry said that 150 Taliban attackers had been killed or wounded. At least 16 civilians were killed and 40 others wounded in the assault, The New York Times reported, citing the head of the health department in Ghazni province. – READ MORE
[divider][/divider]A Pakistani candidate running on the same party as prospective prime minister Imran Khan, who campaigned for the Pakistan Justice Movement, was killed by a Pakistani Taliban suicide bomber on Sunday.
Ikramullah Gandapur death comes days before the country’s general elections on Wednesday, where he was running for a seat in the provincial assembly.
Gandapur was leaving a campaign meeting in the city of Dera Ismail Khan when 22 pounds of explosives targeting his vehicle were detonated, injuring two police officers who were with the candidate and his driver, law enforcement officials told Reuters.
Gandapur’s security detail was increased to include 11 more policemen after he received death threats, but the police were not aware of his campaign meeting on Sunday, police official Zahoor Afridi told Reuters on Sunday.
In a separate attack on Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani’s convoy was attacked in Bannu, but no one was hurt, according to ABC News. – READ MORE
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