Afghan government troops repel Taliban offensive in Kandahar

Afghan security forces have repelled an overnight attack by the Taliban and killed at least 10 members of the militant group in the southern province of Kandahar.

According to Press TV, Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said Sunday the fatalities took place in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar late Saturday and that the Taliban’s “attack was pushed back by the security forces.”

Security forces, he said, also destroyed four Taliban motorbikes.

In recent weeks, the Taliban have staged almost daily battlefield attacks across various parts of the war-ravaged country.

Last Thursday, the militants killed four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces in the central flood-hit Parwan province. At least one Afghan soldier was reportedly killed and two others were injured in the fierce fighting in the troubled region.

The spike in violence comes as talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government have stalled again in the wake of a controversial prisoner swap.

Official data shows bombings and other assaults by the Taliban have surged 70 percent since the militant group signed the deal with the United States in February.

SS