Clashes, in a number of areas around the country, took place on Wednesday between government forces and insurgents despite the ceasefire having kicked in on Tuesday. 

Reports indicate that over 30 government forces lost their lives in clashes in six provinces on Wednesday.

There have also been reports of Taliban casualties in Sar-e-Pul and Ghazni provinces.

One of these clashes happened in Sayyad district in Sar-e-Pul province in the north of Afghanistan where the battle eased off only after reinforcements were sent to the area.

“For now, we assure the people that they should not be worried, but the situation is a war situation,” Sar-e-Pul governor Mohammad Zahir Wahdat said. 

Ghazni police said Taliban continued to attack Muqur district in the province on Wednesday but the attacks were pushed back by government forces. 
  
“The enemy used the ceasefire (to their advantage) by attacking some bases but we were in a defensive mode against them,” Ghazni Police Chief Farid Ahmad Mashal said.

The highest casualty toll of the day was in Jurm district in Badakhshan province where Taliban conducted a coordinated attack against a base and killed 15 security personnel. 

“One base was on the frontline of the battle and fell to the Taliban for one or one and a half hours but the base was retaken by government forces after a counterattack,” Badakhshan governor Ahmad Faisal Begzad said.

Security agencies meanwhile said the security forces’ actions were in self-defense. 

“The latest movements which you witnessed are from the Taliban and other groups and of course we defended them,” Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. 

The Afghan government’s ceasefire started on June 12 and will continue to June 19.