Taliban Kill Over 40 in Afghanistan On Eve of Peace Talks

Just a day before the high-profile peace talks between Taliban and Afghan officials in Moscow, the Taliban was engaging in particularly large offensives across Afghanistan, killing over 40 people, mostly troops and police.

The largest of the attacks took place in Ghor Province, in the west, where 23 people were killed. The casualties included special forces, police, and pro-government militiamen, along with an undisclosed number of civilians.

13 more Afghan soldiers were killed in Khost, and in Samangan, the Taliban tried to overrun a military outpost, killing six police and soldiers in the process. They did not manage to take the outpost over.

This follows several other Taliban offensives on Monday, during which they managed to overrun and loot some police checkpoints. These checkpoints and outposts tend to be a focus, as the Taliban has generally become self-sufficient in their war through looting poorly-guarded bases across Afghanistan.