At least 25 Afghan soldiers have been killed in an attack by Taliban militants against an outpost in Afghanistan’s western Farah Province.
Local officials said the militants attacked the border post — manned by nearly 50 Afghan government soldiers — at the early hours of Tuesday.
A senior military officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said at least 25 troops were confirmed to have been killed, several had been injured, and the others were missing.
“Hours after the attack, we lost contact with the base and we still do not know the whereabouts of the remaining soldiers,” the officer added.
The Taliban took responsibility for the assault, claiming that it had taken control of the base, killed 30 soldiers, and captured weapons and ammunition.
Farah, which borders Iran, has gained more significance for Taliban as the government plans to build a multi-billion-dollar pipeline in the province. The project also involves Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and India. The province has been the scene of several high-profile attacks in the recent past.
The Taliban threatened to seize the provincial capital in May.
On Monday, the militant group seized control of a key security post outside the central city of Ghazni, leaving 13 government forces dead.
Afghan people still face insecurity 17 years after the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.
