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The confrontations occurred amid the peace talks between the government and the Taliban.
Afghanistan's authorities Thursday confirmed the deaths of at least 23 Afghan soldiers and 31 Taliban militiamen in clashes in Nangarhar and Badghis provinces. These confrontations occurred amid the peace talks that are taking place in Doha, Qatar.
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During the attack in Nangarhar, 20 soldiers and 29 militia officers were killed as 15 members of the security forces were injured.
"The clashes occurred after the Taliban militia attacked an Afghan security forces' checkpoint," Nangarhar's governor Attaullah Khogiani informed.
In Badghis, three soldiers and two militiamen were killed as six other soldiers, two civilians, and five Taliban militiamen were injured after the paramilitary group raided several administrative offices in the Qadis district.
More pictures from #Taliban commandos training comps #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/c03jtz6Bbn
— حافظ حقانی/Hafiz Haqani (@hafizhaqani5756) September 18, 2020
"An armored vehicle was set on fire while the police tried to push back the militia who were looking to occupy the province's administrative offices," Badghis' governor Haidar Sharifi said.
In the first semester of 2020, the Taliban caused 43 percent of all civilian casualties in the country, a greater proportion than in 2019, according to Afghanistan's Analyst Network (AAN).
"Since March, the Taliban have launched few 'spectacular' attacks on cities or major military bases and increased their use of abductions. In those attacks, they kill five times more civilians than military," AAN reported.
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