The clearance operation currently underway in Khum Aab in northern Jawzjan province – which is being led by first Vice President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum - is progressing slowly due to the Taliban's practice of hiding out in civilian homes.

Reporting from the area, TOLOnews journalist Wali Arian said civilians are under threat and that their houses are being used as hideouts by insurgents. He reported that a number of homes have also been torched by the Taliban.

He said security forces are trying to prevent civilian casualties – especially during their house-to-house searches for the militants.

Speaking to TOLOnews, Dostum said: "They are hiding behind children, behind women and this makes the war difficult. It is difficult to find out who is the enemy and who is a friend."

Heavy clashes in the district however lasted for a few hours on Sunday and ended after a number of insurgents were killed and arrested.

Speaking to TOLOnews, one security force member who captured an insurgent said: "He [the suspected militant] had a turban on and a white hat and was also in a military uniform. He shouted at us not to fire but when we got closer, he opened fire on us and then he hid in a civilian house."

Another suspected insurgent who was arrested said he joined the Taliban 10 months ago. When arrested by security forces he told TOLOnews that at least 80 of them entered Afghanistan together from the Afghan-Turkmen island along the Turkmenistan border.