Afghan security forces have pushed off the Taliban offensive to capture Naw-e-Kala city, a key provincial center in northwestern Afghanistan, media reports say. The insurgent group has suffered heavy casualties on the battlefield, Afghan security officials claimed. 

The Taliban on Wednesday launched a major offensive to capture Naw-e-Kala district, the provincial center of the northwestern province of Badghis. The group had even managed to break into the city briefly and freed prisoners from a detention facility. 

However, later in the day, they were driven out when the government sent reinforcement to guard the center, reported Ariana news. The second offensive that insurgents on Thursday launched was also met with fierce resistance, resulting in heavy casualties on the Taliban side, security officials claimed. 

Importantly, despite making major gains in northern Afghanistan, the Taliban has so far failed to capture any of the provincial centers.

The Ministry of Defense informed on Thursday that fighting has been going on in at least 17 of the total 34 provinces between the Taliban and security forces. 
 
The US withdrawal is over 90 completed, CentComm said this week. And, British troops have already left the country, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. 

 (SAM)