Afghan forces plan counteroffensive in northern provinces
July 5, 2021: Afghanistan government forces plan a counteroffensive in the country’s northern provinces after losing ground to the Taliban, Russia’s RIA news agency cited an adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as saying on Monday.
National security adviser Hamdullah Mohib told RIA in an interview that government forces had not expected the Taliban offensive but would “absolutely, definitely” counterattack.
On Sunday, Afghan officials claimed to have thwarted a Taliban attack on Bagram Airfield, which was recently evacuated by US forces after a 20-year occupation. A group of 20 Taliban insurgents attacked a local police checkpoint near the airbase, killing one policeman and one insurgent, according to Bagram District Governor Sheran Rufi.
The Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Built during the Cold War, Bagram Airfield saw the beginning of the modern Afghan Air Force before it served as a stronghold of the invading Soviet army and later as a base for US operations in the war-torn country. This week, the United States came close to ending its longest military engagement by evacuating a stretch of the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan’s historic town of Bagram. For its part, the Taliban praised the withdrawal of US troops from Bagram Airfield.
“We see the withdrawal of all US forces from #Bagram as a positive step and want the withdrawal of foreign troops from all parts of the country. This is in the interest of both them and the Afghans. With the full withdrawal of the Afghans comes peace and security.” The group said in a statement.
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