Taliban Attacks Leave 21 Afghan Soldiers Dead
Published at
Daniel Oberbillig/Thinkstock(KABUL, Afghanistan) — Afghan security forces suffered their worst single-day casualties in more than a year Sunday when 21 soldiers were killed by Taliban fighters and other militants at a checkpoint in the eastern province of Kunar.
A spokesman for the defense minister said hundreds of Taliban fighters were involved in the four-hour assault. Seven Afghan soldiers were also reported missing.
The Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the onslaught, said that only one of its fighters was killed.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai cancelled a planned visit to Sri Lanka in the wake of the attack.
In a statement, Karzai was critical of Pakistan, which borders Kunar, for giving safe haven to Taliban and al Qaeda members and demanded that Islamabad take steps to wipe out militant sanctuaries that have existed since the fall of 2001.
So far in 2014, 84 Afghan soldiers have been killed in the government’s ongoing struggle to hold onto power as U.S. and coalition forces have stepped back from the front lines in the conflict against the Taliban.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio