At least 20 Afghan policemen have been killed after Taliban fighters overran checkpoints in the south of the war-riven nation.
The policemen, stationed in Musa Qala district in Helmand province, were ambushed by the extremist fighters early on Saturday.
It remains unclear exactly how many policemen died – or how many Taliban were killed in the assault.
Omar Zwak, the spokesperson for Helmand Province’s governor,told the New York Times: “It’s a big loss. We are saddened.”
Witnesses described how the Taliban surrounded the checkpoints – established last year – and razed it to the ground, carefully planting IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and booby traps along the roads to catch fleeing defenders, as well as preventing support.
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“We do not have modern weapons to fight the Taliban and have no aircraft to target them,” said a police officer from Musa Qala, speaking to the NYT on condition of anonymity.
(punch)