ANA Forces Suffer Unprecedented Casualties in 2017
The Taliban’s offensive has led to a sharp escalation in battlefield attacks and suicide bombings, which have become routine during the warmer months of the 17-year war.
The Taliban’s offensive has led to a sharp escalation in battlefield attacks and suicide bombings, which have become routine during the warmer months of the 17-year war.
Afghanistan national army forces (ANA) suffered unprecedented casualties in 2017, reportedly losing about 10 000 personnel.
According to Afghanistan officials, insurgent attacks have killed 252 Afghan troops during the past week and wounded about 400 others. VOA reported.
Afghanistan’s defense and interior ministers, along with the spy chief, released the figures Monday while briefing parliament on the deteriorating security situation since the Taliban insurgency launched its annual “spring offensive” under the title of “Al-Khandaq” about two weeks ago.
This was the first time in many months officials have reported casualty numbers for Afghan forces.
meanwhile, the ministers told lawmakers that, since the end of April, the security forces have inflicted heavy casualties on the armed opposition, killing about 800 insurgents and wounding 500 others. They say more than 2,600 insurgent attacks were plotted against Afghan military and police forces, but that nearly 70 percent of them were foiled.
This comes as the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, reported last week the number of Afghanistan security forces declined by nearly 11 percent during the past year.
