Afghan Taliban kill 30 in first post-ceasefire assault

KABUL - Taliban militants killed on Wednesday 30 Afghan soldiers and captured a military base in the western province of Badghis.

The provincial governor Abdul Ghafoor Malikzai expressed that this was first major attack since a ceasefire for the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.

Taliban attacked two security posts in the early hours as the three-day Taliban ceasefire ended on Sunday.

Abdul Aziz Bek, head of the Badghis provincial council, said that one military base was targeted in the district of Balamerghab.

“Large numbers of Taliban came from several directions,” Bek said. “After hours of heavy fighting 30 Afghan security forces were killed and the Taliban captured the base.”

Fifteen Taliban were killed in other areas of the province overnight, he said, adding that the militants prepared their attacks and did reconnaissance of the area during their ceasefire.

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Earlier, Afghan forces and Taliban militants celebrated Eidul Fitr together in the country following an unprecedented three-day ceasefire.

President Ashraf Ghani extended his unilateral ceasefire, initially due to end on Wednesday, by 10 days.

The Taliban are fighting to oust US-led NATO forces and defeat Ghani’s US-backed government to restore sharia, or Islamic law, after their ouster by US-led forces in 2001.