Taliban kills dozens as it overruns second military base in Afghanistan

The attack follows a week of insurgency by the terrorist group

Afghan National Army soldiers keep watch at a checkpoint on the Ghazni-Kabul highway. Reuters

The Taliban attacked a key Afghan army base in Baghlan province, killing dozens of security forces as it captured the facility and a police checkpoint.

At least 46 Afghan National Army soldiers and police were reported killed, in the second such assault this week.

On Tuesday, the Taliban attacked a military checkpoint and another run by local police in the Baghlan-l Markazi district.

On Monday night, the Taliban also overran an Afghan military base in Ghormach district, Faryab province, killing 17. Fighting lasted for 48 hours, but the militants took control of the base after requests for support were ignored.

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Fall of military base and battle for Ghazni exposes failures in Afghan military strategy

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Meanwhile, residents of Ghazni, where the Taliban launched a co-ordinated attack, started to emerge from their homes in some parts of the city.

The Taliban overwhelmed the city's defences on August 10, seizing control of districts in the north and west, killing at least 35 civilians and 100 security forces.

Afghan forces repelled the insurgents, but have struggled to flush out the remaining militants in residential areas. United States forces and Nato launched military strikes and sent advisers to help local soldiers.

Gazni is an important strategic city, located on the main highway connecting the capital Kabul with the country's south.

More to follow