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| Taliban kill 19 Afghan soldiers in remote area | Taliban kill 19 Afghan soldiers in remote area |
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| KABUL - More than 100 Taliban fighters overran an Afghan army base on Sunday, killing at least 19 soldiers in the bloodiest attack on the country’s armed forces in many months. | KABUL - More than 100 Taliban fighters overran an Afghan army base on Sunday, killing at least 19 soldiers in the bloodiest attack on the country’s armed forces in many months. |
| The mass of insurgents surrounded a small base in the remote Ghaziabad district of Kunar province early Sunday morning, according to Gen. Abdul Habib, Kunar’s police chief. He said the militants were carrying guns and rocket-propelled grenades. | The mass of insurgents surrounded a small base in the remote Ghaziabad district of Kunar province early Sunday morning, according to Gen. Abdul Habib, Kunar’s police chief. He said the militants were carrying guns and rocket-propelled grenades. |
| “It was a savage attack by the enemies of Afghanistan,” Habib said. | “It was a savage attack by the enemies of Afghanistan,” Habib said. |
| The winter is typically a time of relative peace in Afghanistan, when Taliban leaders return to Pakistan. But this year, the insurgency appears to have stepped up its attacks in an effort to disrupt presidential elections scheduled for April. Ghaziabad, along the Pakistani border, is one of the country’s most restive districts — thought to be the home of several al-Qaeda fighters. | The winter is typically a time of relative peace in Afghanistan, when Taliban leaders return to Pakistan. But this year, the insurgency appears to have stepped up its attacks in an effort to disrupt presidential elections scheduled for April. Ghaziabad, along the Pakistani border, is one of the country’s most restive districts — thought to be the home of several al-Qaeda fighters. |
| Small Afghan army outposts in southern and eastern Afghanistan have always been vulnerable to large-scale Taliban attacks, particularly as the U.S. military has drawn down its presence. | Small Afghan army outposts in southern and eastern Afghanistan have always been vulnerable to large-scale Taliban attacks, particularly as the U.S. military has drawn down its presence. |
| Still, such bloody attacks, when the Taliban is able to successfully overrun an outpost, have been rare. | Still, such bloody attacks, when the Taliban is able to successfully overrun an outpost, have been rare. |
| In a sign of the attack’s importance, President Hamid Karzai postponed an official trip to Sri Lanka. In a statement condemning the attack, Karzai’s palace asked the Pakistani leadership to “realistically and seriously” cooperate with Afghanistan in the fight against militancy. | In a sign of the attack’s importance, President Hamid Karzai postponed an official trip to Sri Lanka. In a statement condemning the attack, Karzai’s palace asked the Pakistani leadership to “realistically and seriously” cooperate with Afghanistan in the fight against militancy. |
| The attack in Kunar came “amid preparations by security forces for launching an attack to clear the Taliban threat from the area,” said Col. Bahwul Khan, a police officer in the province. | The attack in Kunar came “amid preparations by security forces for launching an attack to clear the Taliban threat from the area,” said Col. Bahwul Khan, a police officer in the province. |
| In addition to the 19 dead, three more Afghan soldiers are missing. | In addition to the 19 dead, three more Afghan soldiers are missing. |
| “We do not know whether they have fled or have helped the Taliban to launch the attack,” Habib said. | “We do not know whether they have fled or have helped the Taliban to launch the attack,” Habib said. |
| As of Sunday afternoon, Afghan forces had re-taken the outpost. | As of Sunday afternoon, Afghan forces had re-taken the outpost. |
| Also on Sunday, the Taliban said it would postpone negotiations with the United States over the release of Bowe Berghdahl, the only American prisoner in Taliban possession. | Also on Sunday, the Taliban said it would postpone negotiations with the United States over the release of Bowe Berghdahl, the only American prisoner in Taliban possession. |
| For two years, the U.S. has expressed interest in the possibility of a prisoner exchange involving five Guantanamo detainees for Berghdahl, who was captured in 2009. | For two years, the U.S. has expressed interest in the possibility of a prisoner exchange involving five Guantanamo detainees for Berghdahl, who was captured in 2009. |
| “Given the complexity of the political situation in the country, the leadership council of the Emirate has decided to postpone this matter for some time. Therefore, the process of exchange of prisoners is delayed until further order,” the Taliban said in a statement emailed to journalists, referring to the organization alternate name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. | |
| In recent months, U.S. officials attempted to resuscitate negotiations by offering the simultaneous release of the five Afghan detainees. | In recent months, U.S. officials attempted to resuscitate negotiations by offering the simultaneous release of the five Afghan detainees. |
| The Taliban statement did not explain the specific reasons for the postponement of negotiations. | The Taliban statement did not explain the specific reasons for the postponement of negotiations. |