Afghan army forces kill 7 Taliban militants

Afghan national Army forces killed seven Taliban militants, including two commanders, during an operation in the Western province of Herat. Colonel Naqibullah Balooch, a provincial army commander, said on Sunday that the operation was conducted in the Guzara district of the province, situated 665 kilometers (413 miles) West of Kabul, late on Saturday, press tv reported. He added that two Taliban militant commanders, identified as Akbar Neshin and Aziz Post, and five other gunmen were killed in the heavy exchange of fire. Balooch, however, did not mention whether there were any casualties on the side of Afghan forces. The slain Taliban militant commanders were responsible for a wave of attacks in the Guzara district. On August 29, a key Taliban leader, named Abdullah Akbari, was killed along with seven other militants in an operation conducted by the Afghan Army commandos in Seyawashan village of Guzara district. An Army source said Akbari was in charge of leading Taliban militants in all Western provinces of Afghanistan. The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity. In late April, the Taliban announced the start of their annual "offensive" against US-led and Afghan forces, vowing a new wave of attacks across Afghanistan. The militant group said it would use "every possible tactic" to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces. They specifically mentioned insider attacks, and bomb attacks. The announcement prompted the Afghan authorities to beef up security in major cities across the country, including the capital city of Kabul.