Taliban carry out first attack of the new 1400 solar year

Security forces from Takhar province said Sunday that Taliban fighters carried out the first attack of the new year – in Dasht-e-Qala district.

Khalil Asir, a police spokesman, said the Taliban carried out a series of attacks on the Dasht-e-Qala district center before noon today, which were pushed back after several hours of fighting. No casualties were reported.

But local sources say the conflict has not ended and is ongoing.

A tribal elder was killed and government forces also suffered in the clashes, sources added.

Taliban has not commented yet.

The attack comes after Russia, China, the US and Pakistan, also known as the Troika, on Thursday called on the Taliban to not pursue a Spring offensive and said they do not support the restoration of an Islamic Emirate.

Following a day of discussions in Moscow on accelerating the peace process in Afghanistan, the Troika stated they had agreed on a number of points.

In a joint statement issued by the four countries, they stated they acknowledge the widespread and sincere demand of the Afghan people for a lasting and just peace and an end to the war and “confirm that a sustainable peace can only be achieved through a negotiated political settlement.”