Afghan Clashes Kill At Least 41 Taliban Insurgents; Residents, Army Fight Back Militants: Report

At least 41 Taliban fighters and five Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed in the last three days, in clashes that began in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar, Tolo News, a local news agency, reported Tuesday, citing local officials. The report also said that 47 other insurgents and six ANA soldiers were injured in the attack.

The clashes began Saturday in the Dangam district, which lies near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, after locals began rising up against the insurgents. Following this, the Afghan National Security Forces launched an attack against the militants, Tolo news reported, adding that Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Dangam and Asmar districts in the Kunar province were targeted during the ongoing clashes.

"The clash is still continuing in Dangam," Noman Atifi, an army spokesperson in eastern Afghanistan, said, according to Tolo News, adding: "The Taliban insurgents have torched 12 civilian homes. Additional troops have deployed to the area on Tuesday to support the local forces."

According to a Sunday report by Khaama Press, a local news agency, several militants, who launched Saturday's attack, belonged to the Pakistani faction Tehreek-e-Taliban. The report added that the clashes had been continuing for the past four days before Sunday.

The group has increased its offensive as U.S.-led troops in the country have started exiting. Last month, a suicide car bomb, laden with explosives, killed four people in Kabul. Earlier in November, bombs exploded in the country, killing 10 policemen.