According to the Afghan government, security forces have killed at least 51 Taliban fighters in the province of Kandahar, marking the latest development in the violence between the two entities. Both sides are currently pursuing peace talks in Qatar while fighting over territory back in Afghanistan. The strikes allegedly occurred in five districts on Saturday night and consisted of a mixture of ground and air assaults.
The Afghan government also claims to have destroyed four Taliban ammunition depots. The attack was in response to recent insurgent attacks perpetrated by Taliban members. the Taliban claims that 13 civilians were also killed in the airstrike, however, the provincial governor clarified that seven civilians died after the Taliban detonated explosives into a Humvee. The allegations of civilian casualties, however, sparked protests on Sunday in Arghandab.
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