Taliban and Afghan forces in deadly clashes as US hands over military base
- Taliban attack as US and Nato formally begin troop withdrawal
- Top US general says Afghan forces could face ‘bad possible outcomes’
Fighting between Afghan government forces and the Taliban left more than 100 insurgents dead in 24 hours, the defence ministry said on Sunday as it took control of a US military base in a restive province.
The US military handed over Camp Antonik in the southern Helmand province to Afghan forces, a day after it formally began withdrawing its remaining troops from the country.
The Taliban and government forces clashed across several provinces, the ministry said, including in the former insurgent bastion of Kandahar where the US military carried out a “precision strike” on Saturday as it began the final troop pull-out.
Another 52 Taliban fighters were wounded in the clashes, the ministry said, without giving details of any casualties suffered by government forces.
The Taliban did not offer any comment on the fighting, but both sides are known to exaggerate casualties inflicted on the other.
Fighting on the ground has continued unabated in recent months as peace efforts aimed at ending the 20-year conflict have faltered.
