Security officials in Baghlan on Thursday claimed that Taliban militants have suffered a heavy casualty toll in the province and have been pushed back by government forces in the past two weeks following the launch of their summer offensive.

The officials said the Taliban’s offensive in Baghlan has so far failed and the province has become a “grave” for the group’s militants.

“We are fully prepared. The enemy has been pushed back so far. We assure the Baghlan residents that we will ensure their safety,” said Colonel Ziauddin, Commander of the First Battalion of the Afghan National Army’s Second Regiment in Baghlan.

“All military convoys have safely passed through the cleared areas of Baghlan,” he added.

Baghlan police also confirmed that the militants suffered heavy losses in the battle which started two weeks ago.

“Taliban carried out attacks but they did not achieve anything. They launched attacks in Hassan Tal village in Baghlan-e-Markazi district but their dead bodies were left on the ground and they left the area. Two vehicles belonging to the group were seized by government forces,” said Major General Amir Gul Husainkhail, security chief of Baghlan Police Headquarters.

Meanwhile, a number of soldiers and officers who are fighting the Taliban in the province warned the militant group and said they must surrender otherwise they will be eliminated by Afghan forces.

“We assure the people that we will suppress the enemy and defend the country with our hearts and souls. We will eliminate the Taliban wherever they are,” said one soldier, Hisam-ul-Haq.

 “Taliban [militants] are not capable of confronting us. They escape whenever they face us,” said another soldier, Zaman Khan.

Local officials said Afghan soldiers are fighting the Taliban in a number of parts of Baghlan.

On April 28, the Taliban officially launched its fighting season and said its “Mansouri Operation will differ from previous ones in nature and will be conducted with a twin-tracked political and military approach.”

The group said in a statement that politically they will pay attention to establishing mechanisms for social justice and development and that “apparatus will be set up to help those deceived by the enemy.”

On the military front, the Taliban said in areas where they do not have full control the “enemy will be targeted, harassed, killed or captured until they are compelled to abandon their few remaining posts.”

They said the main focus of “Operation Mansouri” will be on foreign forces, their military and intelligence infrastructure and the elimination of their equipment.