At least 11 Afghan soldiers have been killed in a Taliban ambush in western Afghanistan, officials said, as security forces face their first fighting season without NATO combat support. Aljazeera has more:
“The Taliban ambushed a convoy of soldiers in Karukh district of Herat, killing 11 Afghan army soldiers [on Sunday night],” Ehsanullah Hayat, spokesman for the provincial governor, told the AFP news agency on Monday. “The soldiers were riding in pick-up trucks.” Najibullah Najibi, a spokesman for the army in western Afghanistan, confirmed the attack and said four soldiers were also wounded. Taliban fighters have increased their attacks on Afghan security forces since launching their annual spring offensive.The Taliban launched their offensive, named “Azm” (determination), in late April, vowing nationwide attacks in what is expected to be the bloodiest summer in a decade. Afghan security forces, stretched on multiple fronts and facing record casualties, are struggling to rein in the fighters even as the government makes repeated efforts to jump-start peace negotiations.NATO’s combat mission formally ended in December after 13 years, but a small follow-up foreign force has stayed on to train and support local security forces.
