The Taliban on Monday released as least 40 members of the Afghan security forces in Bilcheragh district of northern Faryab province.
 
A number of soldiers freed by the Taliban have said they surrendered to the Taliban because their calls for supplies, assistance and reinforcement troops went unanswered.
 
Sources on Sunday said about 100 security force members had been in the district at the time – of whom nearly 40 surrendered to the Taliban.
 
Bilcheragh district collapsed to the Taliban on Saturday night.
 
According to sources, the district has faced numerous threats recently and eventually fell to the Taliban. 
 
“We contacted the minister of defense, police chief and the governor, I don’t know why they do not concentrate on us, what kind of program is this, they deploy 25 to 30 soldiers in one district, how can these 25 soldiers resist,” said one freed soldier.
 
“The enemy fighters were around 2,500 to 3,000, they were equipped with Humvees and heavy artillery, but we had only 26 army officers and 20 police,” said Bilcheragh police chief Mohammad Shah.
 
Bilcheragh police chief Mohammad Shah is also among those released from the Taliban.
 
According to Shah, they had informed the government about the threats facing the district, but no one in government took notice.
 
Meanwhile, government officials in Faryab have said that hundreds of Afghan troops have arrived in Faryab under the leadership of deputy chief of army staff to assess the situation.
 
They said that NATO jets have also carried out a series of strikes on Taliban bases in several fronts in the province.
 
The district collapsed after Faryab local officials said on Saturday that some circles are trying to destabilize the province.