According to official statements, Afghan security forces have recaptured a city in south-eastern Paktia province from the Taliban, reported Deutsche Presse-Agentur, DPA.

The city of Jani Khel had fallen to Taliban insurgents on 25th July.

After seven days of heavy fighting, Afghan security forces, supported by US airstrikes, managed to take control of Jani Khel early on Friday morning, the spokesman for Paktia's government, Abdullah Hasrat, told DPA.

Quoting the spokesman, DPA said that Afghan security forces killed 152 insurgents and injured 123 others. On the government side, nine Afghan security force members were killed and 15 were wounded.

The figures could not immediately be verified independently. All stakeholders in the conflict have been known to tweak casualty figures in their favour, the agency added.

Confirming the recapture of Jani Khel, a provincial council member, Allah Mir Khan Bahramzoi, said, "We have received reports of 15 civilian wounded and around 250 families displaced."

In recent weeks, the Taliban have been increasing their attacks on towns and cities across the country.

Cities have been attacked in Kunduz and Baghlan provinces in Afghanistan's north, Badakhshan in the north-east, Ghor in the centre, Helmand, Kandahar in the south and Paktia in the south-east, DPA concluded.

Source: Wam