Taliban seize key Ghazni security post, kill Afghan forces

Taliban militants have seized control of an important security post outside the central Afghan city of Ghazni, killing more than a dozen government forces manning the position.

Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said 13 soldiers were killed, and 13 more were wounded, in the attack on the west-central city.

He added that the Taliban suffered heavy casualties as well, without giving the exact details on the toll.

In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid put the number of the fatalities among Afghan security forces at 18, saying large quantities of weapons and ammunition were seized during the raid.

Ghazni is of strategic significance as it sits on the main road connecting the capital Kabul to the country’s south.

In August, the city briefly fell to the Taliban in what was said to be one of the militant group’s largest offensives in years. At least 150 Afghan soldiers and 95 civilians were killed during a five-day siege on Ghazni back then.

SS