Commanders from 209 Shaheen Military Corps Headquarters in Balkh province in Afghanistan’s north said the Taliban has suffered heavy casualty toll and their war machine has been failed during the past five months. 

The 209 Shaheen Military Corps Commander Gen. Amanullah Mubin said the combat capability of the Afghan National Army (ANA) units has considerably increased in their military operations against militants in different parts of Afghanistan’s north.

He said the ANA soldiers have been equipped with modern weapons.

“More than 2,700 Taliban fighters were sent to the hell and over 1,200 others were wounded,” he said – referring to their military operations in the past five months.

According to him, the security forces had a tough time during the past five months but they were successful in their missions.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Defense Gen. Iqbal Ali Naderi said the Taliban continued their efforts to fuel division among the people in order to insecure the north.

“Taliban with the support of Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI) are trying to increase insecurity in the north by a failed effort to create division among different ethnic groups,” he added. “The people must be alert. We are all Afghans and Afghanistan is our homeland.”

Army soldiers in Afghanistan’s north said they will leave no stone unturned to defend the country against any threat from the enemies.

“I want to assure my countrymen that we are ready to defend our homeland, the people and the honor of Afghans against any kind of threat from the enemy,” said Husain Rezaee, member of the Army’s Special Unit.

“Afghanistan’s enemies will never win. They have never won; they have always failed. They will not achieve their nefarious goals,” another solider Hesamuddin said.

The Afghan National Army soldiers said their message to the Taliban is to lay down their weapons, or they will be forced to surrender.