KABUL – Reacting to a deadly Taliban attack in southern Kandahar province,  President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday said the perpetrators achieved nothing but barbarism and massacre of humanity.
The president said elements involved in such barbaric attacks were being eradicated and they were living the last moments of their lives.
“These criminals after hitting targets in Paktia and Ghazni provinces, attacked the military base in Maiwand district and they killed and wounded some security personnel and civilians.”
“In this critical phase, the people of Afghanistan stand behind their security forces and are ready to respond to the new phase of attacks with full force”, the statement said.
The president said security forces were defending every inch of the country with their blood, courage and their remarkable gains would be remembered for decades to come.
Praising the courage and valor of security forces, the president offered sympathies and condolences to the armed forces over the loss of their colleagues in the Maiwand attack.
Forty-three Afghan National Army soldiers were killed and nine others wounded on Thursday when the Taliban stormed their base before dawn. (Pajhwok)