Almost 1,000 members of the Afghan Police lost their lives in battles against the Taliban militants in Farah province during the last solar year which coincides with March 2018 to March 2019, Farah police spokesman Rahmatullah Siddiqi said on Saturday. 

The highest casualty rate was in areas on the outskirts of Farah city, Siddiqi said, adding that at least 10 outposts of Afghan forces in Farah districts and on the outskirts of Farah city had fallen to the militants during the last year.

“In the first quarter of the last year, 478 policemen were martyred, 281 were killed in the second quarter, and 231 were martyred in the third quarter of the year,” said Siddiqi.

Almost 45,000 members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terrorism in the country in the past four years, according to President Ghani who made it public in an interview in the US late last year. 

Siddiqi said that fresh military operations have started in the province and that the security situation is better than the last year. 

“You cannot fine a secure province than Farah province,” said Siddiqi. 

He said that only one police force member was killed in a battle against militants in the last month of the last solar year. 

“Farah’s situation is improving,” said Noorullah Qaderi, Commander of Afghan Army’s 207 Zafar Corps. “President (Ashraf) Ghani visited Farah city some days ago and this shows that Farah is safe.”

Farah governor Mohammad Shoaib Sabit said mafia groups, which were supporting the Taliban to benefit from customs revenues in the province, have been suppressed.

“We continue our efforts to ensure that people are living in peace,” said the governor. 

Heavy battles were reported in Farah province during the last solar year in which Taliban militants reached close to the Farah city, the center of the province.