At least 15 Afghan soldiers killed in a Taliban ambush in Northern Balkhi province

Taliban have ambushed an Afghan military check-point in Dawlatabad district of northern Balkhi province, killing at least security members, officials said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Yousuf, the district governor of Dawlatabad where the incident took place have spoken to Reuters confirming dozens of Taliban insurgents targeted a checkpoint manned jointly by Afghan soldiers and intelligence agents, killing 15.

The Afghanistan Ministry of Interior Affairs released a statement, confirming the Taliban attack on an Afghan security check-point in Dawlatabad district of Balkh. MOI has confirmed death of only 7 Afghan soldiers in this attack, apparently did not want to disclose the exact figures of casualties sustained in Taliban attack.

On the other hand, Taliban has announced killing of 20 Afghan security forces, injuring 6 and detaining another 4 of them alive.

“We attacked an enemy military base in Dawlatabad district of Balkh province last night. As a result of this operation we killed 20 soldiers including commander Latif, injured 6 of them and have detained 4 soldiers alive,” a Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted.

This comes as the U.S peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad restarted negotiations with Taliban few weeks back focusing on violence reduction, ceasefire and intra-Afghan talks.

The talks were interrupted following a Taliban attack on Bagram airfield, destroying a health facility nearby the Bagram military base.

But, recently sources close to Taliban had said a Taliban delegation have travelled to Pakistan to consult with their leaders and senior members on the ‘ceasefire’.

Sources also said that the US peace envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, is in Qatar and waiting for the Taliban’s agreement over a reduction of violence and a ceasefire to pave the way for the signing of the agreement.

Source: Khaama