Taliban Overrun Afghan Base, Capture Troops as US, NATO Forces Exit

A major army post in the southeast of Ghazni province was assaulted and overrun by Taliban fighters on Saturday, taking dozens of troops hostage and murdering many others.

After nearly 20 years of conflict, the United States and its NATO allies officially started removing its forces from the nation on the day of the most recent attack.

Before the predawn insurgent strike, the Afghan army had positioned hundreds of its men at the facility outside the province capital, also known as Ghazni, according to two senior provincial council members who spoke with VOA.

According to local media accounts, at least 17 troops were slain in the subsequent skirmishes, which lasted for many hours.

The head of the Afghan army and acting minister of defense, Gen. Mohammad Yasin Zia, confirmed to reporters in Kabul that militants had taken control of the security post, but he withheld any other information.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the fighters seized heavy and light weapons in addition to capturing 25 army personnel and killing a number of others.