Corps headquarter in Kunduz strategically important for entire northeast Afghanistan security
KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – The Taliban have taken control of the Afghan National Army’s 217th Pamir Corps headquarters and airport in the strategically important northern Afghanistan province, forcing soldiers to flee, a government official confirmed on Thursday.
The Taliban captured the strategically important Pamir Corps headquarters and airport in Kunduz province on Wednesday and seized all weapons and ammunition, forcing the soldiers stationed there to flee to neighboring Takhar and Baghlan provinces.
“A number of soldiers who had escaped from the 217 Pamir Corps and Kunduz Airport were captured by the ‘Mujahideen’ in the old city of Baghlan province, where they were forced to surrender,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted.
Confirming the army bastion’s fall, a member of the provincial council, Amruddin Wali said in a statement that the insurgents have seized all the weapons and ammunition available at the corps headquarters. He added that some of the helicopters parked at the airport due to a malfunction, including those gifted by India, were also seized by the Taliban.
Taliban seize Ghazni city
Meanwhile, the Taliban on Thursday captured strategically important Ghazni city in central Afghanistan, making it the 10th provincial capital to fall to them.
Ghazni, situated on the route between Kabul and Kandahar, was taken over by the Taliban without gunfight, said an official requesting anonymity as he is not authorized to talk to the media. He added that all local government officials, including the provincial governor, have fled apparently to Kabul.
Governor Dawood Laghmani was later arrested by local police in Maidan city for interrogation, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry in Kabul claimed to have killed 326 Taliban in the last 24 hours in the ground and air offensives against the insurgents.