An intense gun battle has been taking place over the last two days between Taliban and Islamic State affiliate insurgents in eastern Nangarhar province, a provincial official said Tuesday. Attahullah Khogyani, provincial governor’s spokesman, said that hundreds of families have been displaced from villages in Khogyani and Sherzad districts. Sherzad, Khogyani and Hasarak districts in Nangarhar are strategic because they link with neighboyuring Logar province as well as the capital Kabul. In April, the US military used the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, against an Islamic State group tunnel complex carved in the mountains in Nangarhar province. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Logar, but Taliban insurgents have stepped up their attacks across the country against Afghan security forces and they are active in the province.

Source: Hindustan Times November 28, 2017 09:00 UTC