PUL-I-KHUMRI - The police chief for northern Baghlan province on Wednesday claimed several Russian, Pakistani, Egyptian and Chechen military experts had arrived in the province to train and support the Taliban militants.
Brig. Gen. Ikramuddin Sarai told Pajhwok Afghan News the foreign military experts had entered Kunduz, Faryab, Badakhshan, Helmand provinces and Dehna Ghori, Tala wa Barfak, Dushi and parts of Dand-i-Ghori and Dand-i-Shahabuddin districts of Baghlan.
The police chief went on to claim that the Taliban and their foreign advisor wanted to close the northern highway with subversive activities but the Afghan security forces would not let their attempts succeed.
Sarai said heavy clashes between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban were underway in different parts of Baghlan over the past 20 days and so far 64 militants had been killed and another 48 injured.
Brig. Gen. Rajb Ali Rashid, deputy commander of the Shaheen Military Corps, said additional forces had reached Baghlan where a large scale offensive against rebels would be launched in Doshi, Dand-i-Shahabuddin and other areas.
Ahmad Jawad, a resident, said clashes had intensified in Baghlan and the highway and other roads remained closed most of the time. (Pajhwok)