The Taliban has suffered a heavy casualty toll during the two day joint military operation, between government forces and public uprising forces, in Chemtal district of Balkh province, provincial governor Atta Mohammad Noor said on Sunday as fighting rages on in the northern town.

Scores of Taliban fighters were eliminated and six security personnel also lost their lives, he said.

But, the Taliban has claimed that their fighters have foiled an offensive by government forces in Chemtal.

Noor however accused some elements of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar-led Hizb-e-Islami group of being involved in what he called “destructive activities”  in Chemtal.

Hizb-e-Islami spokesman in response termed Noor’s allegations baseless and false.

“Part of Hizb-e-Islami is our dear brothers, we love them, but some of them resort to destructive activities,” said Noor.

Military strategists say that the Taliban consider Chemtal as a key route to infiltrate the capital of the province, Mazar-e-Sharif.

Over the past few days the Taliban has been deploying in some key areas in Chemtal in a move to destabilize the region which in the past was among the secure regions of the country in the north, officials confirmed. 

The security forces also arrested five Taliban fighters during their nighttime operations.