Acting Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid said on Monday that the Taliban’s attack on the 215 Maiwand Corps in the southern Helmand province was plotted on the other side of the Durand Line, indirectly referring to Pakistan.
According to an early statement by Ministry of Defense, more than 20 Taliban fighters were involved in the attack that targeted the 215 Maiwand Corps, called Shorab Airbase by Afghan forces, in Helmand province. Sources said the attack left 50 and 40. However, Khalid said the attack left at least 26 dead.
The attack started at 2am on Friday. Sixteen hours after the attack, the Ministry of Defense announced that it has ended. However, it continued for another 16 hours as according to sources, some of the attacker had hidden behind and inside some armored vehicles at one corner of the base. Taliban in a statement claimed responsibility for the attack.
Khalid said the attack was carried out by 12 suicide bombers of the Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammad – based in Pakistan – with contacts on the other side of the Durand Line. “The attack was planned across the Durand Line,” the Acting Defense Minister reiterated.
Khalid made the remarks at a meeting at Bagram Airbase on Monday where the head of the National Directorate of Security Masoom Stanekzai and Acting Minister of Interior Maj. Gen. Massoud Andarabi as well as
senior military officials from the Resolute Support Mission discussed issues around joint coordination for launching military operations in the country.
Gen. Scott Miller, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, who is currently attending Doha talks between the US negotiators and the Taliban, also attended the meeting through a video conference.
Khalid added that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces believe in a dignified peace, but warned that the forces are ready to suppress the Taliban if the group defies reconciliation.
“We will avenge every drop of the blood of our 26 martyred officers. We will also address the issue of negligence,” Khalid reiterated.
“We are planning together. As partners, it has been extremely productive,” said US Army General Randy George, a commander of the Resolute Support forces in Afghanistan. “I have been here before. I am truly impressed with the security leadership that we have right now. We are doing this and meeting at the senior level to make sure that we are aligned, we are synchronized and getting after operations together.”