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muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)
Tue Aug 14, 2018, 05:19 AM Aug 2018

Afghanistan: 20 civilians, 100 security forces killed in Ghazni

A Taliban assault on the Afghan strategic city of Ghazni has entered its fourth day, with the death toll climbing above 300, including civilians, security forces and Taliban fighters, according to government officials.

Defence Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami said on Monday "about 100 security forces" were killed in the intense fighting, as well "between 20 and 30 civilians".

Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Kabul, Bahrami said 194 Taliban fighters, including 12 of their "key commanders" had also been killed, mostly by US air raids.
...
Roads in and out of the city have been damaged and obstructed by Taliban forces to prevent Afghan reinforcements arriving, but residents who escaped the violence on foot have described seeing dead bodies in the street and buildings on fire.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/afghanistan-20-civilians-100-security-forces-killed-ghazni-180813085039974.html

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Afghanistan: 20 civilians, 100 security forces killed in Ghazni (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Aug 2018 OP
At least 140 security forces and 60 civilians killed; seems to be back in government control muriel_volestrangler Aug 2018 #1

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)
1. At least 140 security forces and 60 civilians killed; seems to be back in government control
Wed Aug 15, 2018, 08:19 AM
Aug 2018
The Taliban's brazen assault on the strategic city of Ghazni, south of the capital Kabul, has come as a major blow to the Afghan government and its international allies. At least 140 members of the security forces and 60 civilians died in five days of fighting, along with possibly hundreds of Taliban fighters, before the militants were pushed back.
...
At the base of the hill I saw an overturned military humvee. There were five bodies still trapped inside - all Afghan army soldiers. There were also dead bodies in other parts of the city. Their army uniforms made you think they were soldiers. But when you looked closer and saw their long beards and hair, you realised they were actually Taliban fighters who had used soldiers' uniforms to infiltrate the city.
...
The truth was Taliban fighters had attacked Ghazni from all four directions and heavy clashes had continued throughout the city for most of the first day. We spent the night listening to light gunfire and helicopters circling the skies.
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The injured were lying on the hospital lawn. Six doctors were trying to attend to them. Doctor Baz Mohammad told me: "We are running out of medicine. We can't even provide first aid."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-45186341
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