Taliban Continue Attacks Across Afghanistan, 8 Police Killed In Farah Province

Afghan police are regularly targeted by the militants who have been fighting a decade-long insurgency against President Hamid Karzai's Western-backed government. — File photo


The wave of Taliban attacks across Afghanistan is continuing as eight Afghan policemen were killed in an attack in Farah province which is on the western edge of the country on the Iranian border. This came just after a deadly bombing up in the northern part of the country that killed 12 people including 3 ISAF troops.

What is significant about these latest attacks is the fact that these are not in Taliban dominated areas - in fact, just the opposite...these attacks came in two areas you would probably least suspect a Taliban attack. And I believe that is on purpose. This is all about messaging...this is about trying to break the will of Afghan army and security forces and if the Taliban show they can strike at ANY spot in the country at any time, then they will break the back of the Afghan forces who will be left on their own in as little as 12 months from now.

The story comes from DAWN.

Taliban kill eight Afghan police: official


HERAT: Taliban gunmen killed eight local policemen in an attack on a remote post in westernAfghanistan, a provincial official said Thursday.

The attack happened late on Wednesday, said Naqibullah Farahi, spokesman for the provincial administration of Farah, which bordersIran. Earlier a suicide bomb attack had claimed 12 lives in northern Afganistan the same day.

“The Taliban attacked an Afghan local police post” in Khaki Safed district, he told AFP. “There were eight people in the post and all were killed.” Investigators have gone to the area, he added.

Contacted by AFP, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack and said 12 local policemen had been killed. The Taliban regularly exaggerate their claims.

Afghan police are regularly targeted by the militants who have been fighting a decade-long insurgency against President Hamid Karzai’s Western-backed government.

Earlier this week six people including four policemen were poisoned and shot dead at a police post inHelmandprovince, which neighbours Farah, days after a policeman in Paktika province poisoned and then shot dead nine of his colleagues while they slept.