23:33 20/08/2021
Opposition fighters loyal to Afghanistan's ousted government recaptured three northern districts from the Taliban on Friday, just days after the Islamist group re-established control over much of the country.
Pro-Taliban social media accounts confirmed the military coup in northern Baghlan province. They said at least 15 Taliban fighters were killed and another 15 wounded in what they described as a betrayal of an amnesty announced for members of the former Afghan government.
Abdul Hamid, the local commander of what was described as an insurgency against the Taliban, said in a video message from Andrabi, one of the newly captured districts, that his forces were advancing on another nearby district, vowing to it covered all of Baghlan.
It is reported that the Taliban have sent their forces to Andrab to organize a counterattack.
VOA sought but did not receive comment from Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on the counterattack, the first officially launched since the extremist group seized control of the capital, Kabul, on Sunday.
Friday's attack came just days after Amrullah Saleh, who served as fugitive President Ashraf Ghani's first deputy, vowed to mount a strong resistance to the Taliban from his Panshir province.
Mr Saleh has declared himself interim president, citing the Afghan constitution, after Mr Ghani fled the country on Sunday and was offered asylum by the United Arab Emirates.
The former vice president claimed he was operating out of Panshir with the support of Ahmed Masud, the son of slain Afghan commander Ahmed Shah Masud, who successfully defended the province and other areas in Afghanistan during the previous Taliban government from 1996 to 2001.
Meanwhile, Taliban leaders have held talks with their former Afghan rivals in Kabul, promising to try to form a "comprehensive Islamic government" to rule the conflict-torn country.
The United States and the rest of the international community have warned the Taliban that if they do not strive for a comprehensive government, they will only prolong the civil war in Afghanistan and that other countries will not recognize such a government.
The Taliban have pledged a different kind of government to that followed when they were in power from 1996-2001, promising to respect women's rights and allow them to work and be educated in accordance with Sharia.
But human rights activists and others report that Taliban fighters are coming to their homes and intimidating them. Some TV presenters have said that the state television has removed them from the broadcasts without explanation.
But former Afghan lawmaker Elai Ershad said in comments to VOA by phone from Kabul that despite some minor problems, the security situation in the capital is improving./VOA
Source of information @TvKlan: Read more at: www.botasot.al
