Taliban Release Hostages After Sar-E Pul Attack

The Taliban released 235 villagers held hostage after the insurgents attacked and captured a village in the northern Sar-e Pul province.

“The people from Mirza Olang village had arrived in Sar-e Pul, the main town of the province, although some others were still with the Taliban,” said Zahir Wahdat, Provincial Governor.

Zahir Wadat further added after days of waiting for additional troops to arrive, security forces would soon begin a clearance operation to retake the village.

Taliban and IS rebels killed around 50 men, women and children in Sayad district of northern Sar-e Pul province on Saturday after overrunning a government-backed militia in a 48-hour battle.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the killings as a “war crime”.

“This barbaric act of them is deemed a direct violation of human rights and a war crime,” Ghani said in a statement.

An Afghan security source said he thought there were still around 100 people being held hostage in Mirzawalang, situated in the Sayad district of Sar-e Pul province, after insurgents captured it at the weekend.

Sayad district of Sar-e Pul province had put up a fierce defense over the past two years against attacks by insurgents as other parts of the province seemed to be buckling under Taliban pressure.