Army officials in the northern Sar-e-Pul province on Friday said a military operation titled “Alborz Ten” was launched in Sayyad district to retake the Mirza Olang valley which fallen to militants earlier this week.

The military operation was launched early on Friday, said Gen. Abdul Ghafar Ehsan, commander of the Afghan National Army’s 2nd Regiment in Sar-e-Pul.

“We have advanced and have reached to Sheram mountain heights. After strengthening our outposts in Mirza Olang, our units will enter into the valley,” he told TOLOnews on Friday.

He said Taliban and Daesh fighters had planted mines on their way in the valley and have destroyed bridges.

The security forces have retaken three check posts and Taliban has suffered heavy losses in the operation, he said.

Army soldiers said they have a high moral to clear the valley of militants. However, he said, they need air support for their ground operations.

“The battle started on Friday at 5am (local time). The military operation will not have any result if we do not get air support,” said Qamaruddin, an army soldier in Sar-e-Pul.

Meanwhile, Sar-e-Pul governor Mohammad Zahir Wahdat confirmed the death of seven insurgents but said that the military operation is ongoing “very slow”.

Wahdat slammed the forces over lack of senior commanders on the frontline, suggesting that senior officers should help military operation.

“I hope that the senior military commanders speed up the operation and cooperate with the deployment and management of the troops,” he said. 

Mirza Olang valley fallen to militants earlier this week on Saturday.

The Sar-e-Pul governor said the Taliban and Daesh have committed crimes against humanity following the collapse of the valley.

According to Wahdat, the insurgents have shot to death 52 civilians and 471 families were forced to leave their houses in the valley.

Military commanders said they will continue their crackdown until Mirza Olang is fully cleared of militants.