Taliban

Hundreds of Taliban insurgents launched the multi-pronged offensive on Ghoryan district early Thursday morning, but the security forces retaliated forcing the insurgents to flee leaving 20 bodies behind, the statement said. Ten more militants were injured in the counter-offensive backed by fighter jets, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

So far, hundreds of locals have taken up arms in support of the government forces across the provinces of Takhar, Balkh, Badghis, Baghlan, Nangarhar, Laghman, Jawzjan, Samangan and Kapisa, Herat, Patkia, Ghor and Kunduz. Sources said that since Saturday evening, five districts fell to the Taliban –- Sayed Abad and Chak-e-Wardak in Maidan Wardak, Rustaq in Takhar, Arghistan in Kandahar and Shortepa in Balkh.

The document on US policy in Afghanistan says Pakistan's security services maintain ties to Afghan insurgent groups, most notably the Haqqani Network. Afghan leaders, along with US military commanders, have attributed much of the insurgency's power and longevity either directly or indirectly to Pakistani support. Afghanistan-Pakistan relations are further complicated by the presence of over one million Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

The clashes occurred on Saturday when the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) backed by local Public Uprising Forces and supported by the Air Force targeted a Taliban convoy and militants' aggregations in the suburban districts of Dasht-e-Qala and Rustaq, the Ministry said in a statement.

The strike which occurred late monday night in Qushmal village of Firoz Nakhchir suburban district also destroyed five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two heavy guns, and seven assault rifles, the Ministry said in a statement. The latest offensive comes as Afghanistan is witnessing an increase in security incidents as the Taliban outfit has intensified their activities since the start of the US-led forces pull out on May 1.

The militants were also attempting to explode an explosive-laden military vehicle next to a military base outside Kunduz city, but was identified and targeted by soldiers. As a result a few more militants inside the vehicle were killed, the official added. However, five security personnel had been injured during the gunfight which lasted for a couple of hours, he said.