The fighting on Sunday took place after the Taliban stormed Nawa and Nahr-e Siraj districts of Helmand province.
Government Commandos fended off their attack, inflicting heavy casualties to the group’s fighters.
According to Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, as many as 71 Taliban insurgents were killed by Afghan forces.
Meanwhile, a statement by office of the provincial governor announced that Mawlawi Ghafoor, the Taliban’s deputy governor for southern Helmand province, was arrested by Afghan security forces late yesterday evening.
He was responsible for leading yesterday’s clashes in the province, according to the statement.
The Afghan Ministry of Interior didn’t provide details on casualties to Afghan forces; however, witnesses claimed there were also casualties inflicted to government forces.
The Taliban have yet to comment.
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