By Nematullah Ahmadi
Badakhshan military officials said on Thursday that the Taliban has been pushed back from both Zebak and Ishkashim districts that had been under Taliban control.
Heavy clashes have been ongoing in the province over the past 13 days as security forces advanced in the efforts to regain fallen areas.
Early Thursday, officials confirmed the Afghan security forces had retaken Ishkashim and by lunchtime they said they had also retaken Zebak district.
TOLOnews journalist, Nematullah Ahmadi reporting from the frontline in Zebak early Thursday said that the Taliban has established many strong defending lines to keep the district under their control.
Bazgir, Surkh Dara and Shawal Dara villages of Ishkashim were occupied by Taliban following the fall of Zebak district, but now the villages are cleared, officials reported.
“The villages of Ishkashim have been cleared of the enemy and around 20 posts of the enemy have been taken by security forces. Two tanks belonging to the enemy were destroyed during the operation,” said Jalaluddin Yaftali, head of the army's Special Forces Unit in the area.
“The security forces are well-prepared and their morale is good. I am sure that they will retake Zebak and Warduj districts,” said Amanullah, a frontline battalion commander in Ishkashim district early Thursday.
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