A Taliban commander has been apprehended in the northeastern Afghan province of Badakhshan.
The arrest took place during fierce clashes over Friday and Saturday between Taliban militants and Afghan security forces in the province. Gul Mohammad Bedar, the province’s deputy governor, named the Taliban commander as Qari Zabihullah.
The clashes saw about 100 Taliban militants attacking several security outposts in Badakhshan.
Two members of the security forces were killed and five troops wounded during the confrontation.
Bader said, "At least 21 rebels, mostly foreigners, were killed and 13 others sustained injuries during the two days of fierce fighting with the Afghan security forces.”
Afghanistan is witnessing growing violence despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces in the war-ravaged country.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed Taliban from power, but insecurity still remains in several areas across the country.
On Friday, Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar of the High Peace Council, the body charged with negotiating a settlement with the militants, said the second round of official talks between the representatives of the Kabul government and the Taliban will take place on July 30 in China.
The first round of official face-to-face talks took place in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on July 7, supervised by American and Chinese representatives.