Drone Strikes Kill 120 Rebels in SE Afghanistan - Police

Islamabad, 27 Dzulqa’dah 1437/30 August 2016 (MINA) – At least 120 Taliban rebels have been killed and many others wounded in two drone strikes in Afghanistan’s southeastern Paktia province, a police official said Monday.

KUNA quoted Paktia police chief, Brig. Gen. Qadar Gul Zadran as telling media that drones targeted militant hideouts and convoys in Janikhel and Dand Patan districts of Paktia, leaving some 120 insurgents dead.

The drone strikes came days after Taliban captured Janikhel district having weeks of clashes with security forces.

The police chief said that operations were underway to regain control of the district bordering Pakistan.

Janikehl has a strategic importance and other districts could fall to the rebels if Janikhel is not retaken.

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According to local media, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the claims of killing Taliban in two drone attacks.

He said that drones struck a religious school, killing a large number of pupils and the other struck elders who the Taliban had invited to hand them over the dead bodies of security personnel.

Mujahid said that the fighters avoided assembling in a single area due to the conflict because of possible airstrikes. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)