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| Taliban Breach Afghan Police Posts, Killing Dozens | Taliban Breach Afghan Police Posts, Killing Dozens |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 46 Afghan police officers, including a senior general, were killed in two separate Taliban attacks on Tuesday, officials said, highlighting the heavy cost paid by the country’s police force amid the Afghan war’s escalating violence. | KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 46 Afghan police officers, including a senior general, were killed in two separate Taliban attacks on Tuesday, officials said, highlighting the heavy cost paid by the country’s police force amid the Afghan war’s escalating violence. |
| The attacks, in the neighboring southeastern provinces of Paktia and Ghazni, were similar in the tactics used — and in the devastation left behind. Both involved insurgents taking vehicles captured from Afghan forces, including Humvees paid for by the United States military, packing them with explosives and detonating them at the compounds before the militants stormed in. | The attacks, in the neighboring southeastern provinces of Paktia and Ghazni, were similar in the tactics used — and in the devastation left behind. Both involved insurgents taking vehicles captured from Afghan forces, including Humvees paid for by the United States military, packing them with explosives and detonating them at the compounds before the militants stormed in. |
| Afghan and Western officials have long expressed concern about the high number of casualties among Afghan forces against a resurgent Taliban, even after the United States doubled its air support under a new strategy by President Trump. The Afghan government has not disclosed how many police officers and soldiers have been killed this year, but officials say the deaths rate is the same or higher than in 2016, when more than 6,700 members of the security forces were killed and another 12,000 were wounded. | Afghan and Western officials have long expressed concern about the high number of casualties among Afghan forces against a resurgent Taliban, even after the United States doubled its air support under a new strategy by President Trump. The Afghan government has not disclosed how many police officers and soldiers have been killed this year, but officials say the deaths rate is the same or higher than in 2016, when more than 6,700 members of the security forces were killed and another 12,000 were wounded. |
| A total of at least 71 people were killed in the two attacks on Tuesday. | |
| The deadlier of the attacks occurred in Gardez City, the capital of Pakita Province, leaving 41 people dead and more than 150 wounded. Gen. Murad Ali Murad, Afghanistan’s deputy interior minister, said that 21 police officers had been killed in the attack, including the province’s police chief, Gen. Toryalai Abdyani, and 48 others wounded. Twenty civilians were killed and another 110 wounded, he said. | |
| It was the second time the compound had been attacked in a similar fashion this year. The last attack, in June, left five police officers dead and 18 wounded. | It was the second time the compound had been attacked in a similar fashion this year. The last attack, in June, left five police officers dead and 18 wounded. |
| Gen. Assadullah Shirzad, the head of police in the southeastern zone, said the insurgents had first blown up a large truck outside the police headquarters, destroying the walls. Then three other vehicles used as bombs — two police pickup trucks and one Humvee — entered the compound and were blown up. Eleven militants stormed the compound after the explosions, he said. | Gen. Assadullah Shirzad, the head of police in the southeastern zone, said the insurgents had first blown up a large truck outside the police headquarters, destroying the walls. Then three other vehicles used as bombs — two police pickup trucks and one Humvee — entered the compound and were blown up. Eleven militants stormed the compound after the explosions, he said. |
| The casualty toll changed throughout the day, and some Afghan officials feared that it could rise further. “The casualties get higher and higher,” said Hedayatullah Hamidi, the province’s health director. “It is not the final list.” | The casualty toll changed throughout the day, and some Afghan officials feared that it could rise further. “The casualties get higher and higher,” said Hedayatullah Hamidi, the province’s health director. “It is not the final list.” |
| Habibullah Sarab, 16, who lives nearby, said he had rushed to the site after hearing a large explosion that shattered the windows of his home. | Habibullah Sarab, 16, who lives nearby, said he had rushed to the site after hearing a large explosion that shattered the windows of his home. |
| “I saw dozens of people lying on the ground under debris of the explosion,” he said. Most, he said, were civilians who had been waiting outside the police headquarters to get new passports. | “I saw dozens of people lying on the ground under debris of the explosion,” he said. Most, he said, were civilians who had been waiting outside the police headquarters to get new passports. |
| Calling the devastation “very bad,” he said: “Some people were burned by the fire of the explosion. Some others were lying in their blood.” He said he had seen burning vehicles in the street in front of the headquarters. | Calling the devastation “very bad,” he said: “Some people were burned by the fire of the explosion. Some others were lying in their blood.” He said he had seen burning vehicles in the street in front of the headquarters. |
| Wali Tabasum, the Paktia police spokesman, said he had survived because he had been sent out on a work errand 20 minutes earlier. But General Abdyani, a father of seven, was killed at his desk, Mr. Tabasum said. | Wali Tabasum, the Paktia police spokesman, said he had survived because he had been sent out on a work errand 20 minutes earlier. But General Abdyani, a father of seven, was killed at his desk, Mr. Tabasum said. |
| Hours before the Gardez attack, in the predawn darkness, the Taliban attacked the Andar district center in Ghazni Province. After setting off smaller explosions, the attackers drove an explosive-laden Humvee into the district center. The explosion there was so large, officials said, that it destroyed not only the adjacent district governor’s and police compounds but also as many as 30 residential buildings. | Hours before the Gardez attack, in the predawn darkness, the Taliban attacked the Andar district center in Ghazni Province. After setting off smaller explosions, the attackers drove an explosive-laden Humvee into the district center. The explosion there was so large, officials said, that it destroyed not only the adjacent district governor’s and police compounds but also as many as 30 residential buildings. |
| General Murad, the deputy interior minister, said the attack had killed 25 police officers and five civilians, and wounded 10 police officers. | General Murad, the deputy interior minister, said the attack had killed 25 police officers and five civilians, and wounded 10 police officers. |
| Amanullah Kamran, a member of the Ghazni provincial council, said the situation there was “worse than Helmand and other battleground provinces.” | Amanullah Kamran, a member of the Ghazni provincial council, said the situation there was “worse than Helmand and other battleground provinces.” |
| “Now Andar is under control of the Taliban,” he said. | “Now Andar is under control of the Taliban,” he said. |
| Other officials denied that the district had fallen to the Taliban, saying that Afghan forces had fought through much of the morning and that reinforcements had arrived. | Other officials denied that the district had fallen to the Taliban, saying that Afghan forces had fought through much of the morning and that reinforcements had arrived. |
| In western Farah Province, however, local officials and residents said the Taliban had taken over another district, adding to their growing presence in the province a time when they have even threatened the suburbs of the provincial capital city. | In western Farah Province, however, local officials and residents said the Taliban had taken over another district, adding to their growing presence in the province a time when they have even threatened the suburbs of the provincial capital city. |
| Dadullah Qani, a member of the provincial council in Farah, said the Taliban had attacked the Shabikoh district on Monday night, killing five police officers and overrunning the district center. | Dadullah Qani, a member of the provincial council in Farah, said the Taliban had attacked the Shabikoh district on Monday night, killing five police officers and overrunning the district center. |
| “The central government’s lack of attention will collapse the entire province to the Taliban,” Mr. Qani said. “If we had received air support last night, the district would not have fallen.” | “The central government’s lack of attention will collapse the entire province to the Taliban,” Mr. Qani said. “If we had received air support last night, the district would not have fallen.” |