Kabul/New Delhi: At least 43 soldiers were killed and another nine wounded on Thursday in a coordinated attack by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives in a vehicle at the military base in Maiwand district. This was followed by armed clashes with the troops stationed in the camp, Defence Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Radmanish told Efe news.
The Ministry said that at the time of the attack, there were 60 soldiers in the base, out of which 43 were killed, nine were wounded and six were missing.
It said the Army had regained control of the base.
Taliban spokesperson Yusuf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack but said 60 Afghan troops had been killed and five armoured vehicles destroyed.
This was the third large-scale attack against the Afghan forces this week.
The attack occurred days after Taliban launched two massive coordinated attacks in eastern Paktia and neighbouring Ghazni provinces. Over 70 people were killed and more than 170 others were wounded.
Meanwhile, India on Thursday strongly condemned the terror attack by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province that claimed at least 43 lives and expressed solidarity with the violence-hit nation.
India said the continued terror attacks in Afghanistan demonstrate that safe havens and support systems continue to be available to terrorists.
“We strongly condemn the barbaric attack at the Afghan National Army base in Kandahar province. Coming on the heels of similar tragedies in Paktia and Ghazni, we share the grief of the families of the victims and the suffering of the Afghan people,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
It said “India is gravely concerned” at the recent escalation of terrorist violence against Afghanistan, “despite hopes recently kindled by new strategies as well as efforts” for bringing peace in the country.
“The beginning of Afghan-owned and Afghan-led national reconciliation requires an end to violence. States hosting the terrorists and their sanctuaries must eliminate them immediately and without distinction,” the statement said.
“India expresses solidarity with the people and the government of Afghanistan in these difficult times,” it said.