By Reza Hashimi
Apr. 10, 2015: More than 30 ANA soldiers were slaughtered by Taliban in a checkpost in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan.
Afghan Taliban and foreign militants waving the flag of Daesh are responsible for the deadly ambush on an Afghan National Army (ANA) outpost in northern Badakhshan province this week, TOLOnews' correspondents on the ground in the province reported on Monday.
According to ANA officials in Badakhshan, the failure to repel the ambush, which ultimately resulted in over 20 fatalities, was a result of the central government's lack of response to requests for greater support resources. Now, local military leaders say they are ready to launch a counterattack but await orders from higher-ups in Kabul. The outpost that was attacked is said to be under militant control.
There are also said to still be a number of ANA soldiers being held hostage by the insurgents. The mutilated dead body of a ANA soldier was sent tauntingly by the militants back to the security forces in a private car on Monday.
Local ANA officials say around 800 to 900 insurgents, including foreigners, attacked the outpost. When they had taken it over, they reportedly raised the black flag of Daeah.
Badakhshan acting governor Shah Waliullah Adeeb has said that the being held hostage are those who were wounded in the fight. "The soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan's farthest point," Adeeb said on Monday. "It occurred at 3:00am local time Friday night, and we held an emergency meeting but once our forces arrived in the area it was too late."
Although there have been some dispute over the exact number of casualties in the attack, Adeeb's report is the official line coming out of Badakshan authorities. "In addition, 20 soldiers died and 10 were injured during the attack, and 11 local insurgents and eight foreign insurgents were also killed."
According to the acting governor, the Badakhshan Police Chief and the 3rd ANA Brigade's Commander were both in Kabul when the attack took place.