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| 27 Captured by Taliban Amid Siege | 27 Captured by Taliban Amid Siege |
| (4 months later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents captured 27 of 40 police officers and officials who had taken refuge in a bunker, the government and the insurgents said on Thursday, as the Taliban continued to besiege a district government complex in a remote corner of northern Afghanistan that until last year had been considered one of the safest parts of the country. | |
| The other 13 officials retreated to the top of a hill in the Yamgan district center and were holding off the insurgents, according to Gul Ahmad Bedar, the deputy governor of Badakhshan Province. He said one of the holdouts was the district police chief, Qand Agha. | The other 13 officials retreated to the top of a hill in the Yamgan district center and were holding off the insurgents, according to Gul Ahmad Bedar, the deputy governor of Badakhshan Province. He said one of the holdouts was the district police chief, Qand Agha. |
| A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that among the 27 captives were the district chief and deputy district chief of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan domestic intelligence service. | A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that among the 27 captives were the district chief and deputy district chief of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan domestic intelligence service. |
| The fighting has been going on since Monday. It is the third time in the past year that the insurgents have overrun a district headquarters in Badakhshan Province. | The fighting has been going on since Monday. It is the third time in the past year that the insurgents have overrun a district headquarters in Badakhshan Province. |
| Mr. Bedar said no coalition support had been received in the district as of Thursday morning, although a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force said on Wednesday that the coalition had responded to a government request and provided air support. | Mr. Bedar said no coalition support had been received in the district as of Thursday morning, although a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force said on Wednesday that the coalition had responded to a government request and provided air support. |
| Sediq Seddiqi, the Interior Ministry spokesman, said reinforcements were on their way but had been delayed by poor roads and bad weather. He said the coalition had not gotten any requests for air support. “If we do, they will respond,” he said. | Sediq Seddiqi, the Interior Ministry spokesman, said reinforcements were on their way but had been delayed by poor roads and bad weather. He said the coalition had not gotten any requests for air support. “If we do, they will respond,” he said. |
| “The police are still in the district center and fighting, but we have not been able to send support units to join them,” Mr. Seddiqi said. “We will end this by the end of the day.” | “The police are still in the district center and fighting, but we have not been able to send support units to join them,” Mr. Seddiqi said. “We will end this by the end of the day.” |
| “It is not such a big deal that we cannot handle it,” he said, adding that Afghan National Army forces could be called if necessary. | “It is not such a big deal that we cannot handle it,” he said, adding that Afghan National Army forces could be called if necessary. |
| Mr. Bedar, the deputy governor of the province, said the Yamgan district governor had managed to escape, and expressed concern that the besieged officials had scant ammunition and other supplies. | Mr. Bedar, the deputy governor of the province, said the Yamgan district governor had managed to escape, and expressed concern that the besieged officials had scant ammunition and other supplies. |
| In all, 22 Afghan police officers were reported killed on Wednesday in four incidents nationwide, including eight killed at the besieged district headquarters. | In all, 22 Afghan police officers were reported killed on Wednesday in four incidents nationwide, including eight killed at the besieged district headquarters. |