Afghan forces backed by US air strikes pushed back a Taliban onslaught Thursday in a strategically important district in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, officials said.
Advertisement
Israeli police: Palestinian killed after attempted stabbing
A number of them have attempted attacks with kitchen knives in what some analysts have described as virtual suicide missions. Nearly daily stabbings, shootings and car-rammings by Palestinians have killed 20 Israelis and a US citizen since October.
Afghan forces had been trying to recapture the area, while the Taliban claimed control of.
Putin, Modi hail ‘partnership’ as India eyes defence deals
Delhi and Moscow , however, sought to initiate a process to promote cultural and people-to-people links at the annual summit. He said that India’s UNSC membership could bring an “independent and responsible approach” within the world body.
“Americans brought Taliban to Qatar and told Taliban in 2010 and 2011, ‘We want to talk with you and we want to solve Afghanistan issue, Afghanistan problem peacefully.’ But during these several years, they never wanted to talk to Taliban”, said Wahid Mujda, Afghan Senior Political analyst.
Beatles catalogue to be available on major streaming services Christmas onwards
According to Re/code , Pandora Media Inc has the music band’s songs on its online radio service, but with various restrictions. This step by the steaming services is expected to churn out better revenues for companies like Spotify and Apple Music .
Afghan officials and tribal elders confirmed to ABC News that while fighting continues, key buildings have been reclaimed by Afghan forces.
Fleeing residents reported Taleban executions of captured soldiers as the insurgents advanced on the district centre, compounding fears that the entire province was on the brink of a security collapse.
The Taliban statement listed barriers to peace negotiations, including United Nations sanctions on individual Taliban figures which were extended this week, and the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan, with specific mention of the British troops that arrived in Helmand on Wednesday to provide support for Afghan forces battling in Sangin. I haven’t gotten any reports that they are actually in Sangin, but I also haven’t been able to get any confirmation from the USA forces about what they’re actually doing there. Before that, British and American forces struggled for years to hold on to Sangin.
All but two of Helmand’s 14 districts are effectively controlled or heavily contested by the Taliban, who also recently came close to overrunning the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.
SIEGEL: Now, this is an area that has passed in and out of Taliban control.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has sought to mend ties with longtime regional nemesis Pakistan in a bid to restart peace talks with the insurgents.
GOV. MIRZA KHAN, Helmand, Afghanistan (through interpreter): The district is completely under the control of the government security forces.
The war in Helmand, seen as the epicentre of the expanding insurgency, follows a string of military victories for the Taliban after North Atlantic Treaty Organisation formally ended its combat operations previous year.
“Generally, the government, and the parliament, judicial power, we all are working together unitedly, unanimously towards the peace talks and peace process”, said Khalid Pashtoon, member, Afghan National Assembly. One of the attacks, on a US special operations forces base outside Kabul, killed one U.S soldier and eight Afghan civilian contractors.
Advertisement
Mohammad Jan Rasolyaar, deputy governor of Helmand province, took an unusual step last weekend by posting an open letter to Ghani on Facebook asking for help.
