Taliban attack on Afghan city foiled, 28 terrorists killed

Afghan security forces have foiled a Taliban attack on the city of Talukan, the capital of Takhar province, and killed 28 militants. Taliban militants were planning to attack the taluk city from different directions, but ground troops backed by fighter jets targeted the militants, causing them to retreat.

Apart from 28 victims, 17 Taliban militants were also injured during the operation.
The Taliban reportedly control all 16 districts in Takhar province and have been fighting for the past month to capture the taluk city, 245 km north of Kabul.

Fearing a total takeover by the Taliban, many Takhar residents have held a sit-in in Kabul over the past week and called on the central government to send more troops to the province.

In another development, nine militants, including four foreigners, were confirmed dead in an ambush by Afghan troops on a group of Taliban fighters in the Kuran-wo-Munjan district of Badakhshan province on Tuesday.

Taliban militants occupy 19 of the 27 districts in Badakhshan province.