Taliban militants abduct 5 Afghan police officers

Five police officers have been kidnapped by Taliban militants during an attack in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat, an official says.

“About 20 militants stormed a checkpoint in the Obe district this afternoon,” said Sher Agha, a Herat police official, on Friday.
Agha added that the officers were abducted along with their weapons, but he did not give further details.
The incident marks the latest in a series of violent attacks against Afghan security forces.
In a separate incident, unknown armed men gunned down the head of the Nuristan High Peace Council in the Afghan capital Kabul late on Thursday.
“Abdul Haleem was on his way home from a mosque after the evening prayer when two gunmen opened fire on him,” said an official in the eastern province of Nuristan, who asked not to be named.
Taliban militants have recently stepped up attacks against US-led and Afghan forces, vowing a new wave of attacks across Afghanistan.
The militant group has said it would use “every possible tactic” to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces. They specifically mentioned insider attacks and bombings.
The announcement comes as the Afghan authorities have increased operations against the militants across the country.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of the so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.
There are currently more than 44,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, including some 30,000 US troops.

Source: PressTV