Five Afghan soldiers killed in Taliban attack on military outpost

Kabul, May 4 (efe-epa).- At least five Afghan soldiers were killed and seven injured when Taliban militants detonated an explosives laden truck near a military outpost in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, officials said on Monday.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack that took place in Nahr-e-Saraj district on Sunday night.

“In this powerful bombing, five members of the security forces were martyred and another seven were injured and the outpost was partially damaged,” provincial governor’s spokesperson Omar Zwak told EFE.

Zwak said the security facility was a jointly run by the Afghan army and special units of the intelligence agency.

“Initial information suggests that the bomber used a truck full of explosives to attack the outpost,” the spokesperson said.

The ministry of defense in a statement confirmed the attack but did not provide casualty details.

Taliban spokesperson Qari Yusuf Ahmadi in a statement said the attack was carried out in response to the “repeated violations by enemy” and attacks against civilians, referring to the military operations of the Afghan government.

“The enemy facility was completely destroyed and tens of enemy personnel and members of the intelligence were killed and injured,” Ahmadi said.

The Taliban spokesperson claimed that 150 security personnel were at the outpost on Helmand-Kandahar highway. He claimed that the attack also left several military vehicles and cars destroyed.

Violence has increased across Afghanistan in recent weeks after the Taliban signed an agreement on Feb.29 with the United States to pave the way for peace in the war-torn country.

All warring parties have been accusing the other of violating the terms of the agreement inked in Doha, following a weeklong reduction in violence.

The Taliban on Apr.5 warned that it would “react and respond” to “repeated violations” by the US and the Afghan government’s airstrikes and attacks against the militant group and civilians.

The US military in Afghanistan on Saturday warned the Taliban of a response if the insurgent group continued with its attacks in violation of an agreement the two sides signed in February.

“Attacks generate attacks, while restraint produces restraint. All sides must choose restraint to prevent more killing and violence. If the violence cannot be reduced, then yes, there will be (a) response,” Sonny Leggett, the spokesperson for US forces in Afghanistan, said in an open letter to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid posted on his twitter handle.

The Afghan government also claimed that the Taliban have increased attacks against security forces and civilians after signing the peace agreement.

Tariq Arian, the spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, told reporters on Saturday that Taliban attacks have killed 387 civilians and injured 590 across the country since the day the group signed the deal with Washington. EFE-EPA

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