The Afghan Taliban, banned in Russia, announced the start of annual spring offensive. On Friday, April 28, according to Reuters.
The offensive is called “Operation Mansuri” — in honor of the former Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour, who was killed as a result of U.S. drone strike. The “main “Operation Mansuri” will be directed against the foreign forces and their military and intelligence infrastructure and against their mercenaries inside the country”, — says the official statement of the organization.
The Taliban promised “to prosecute, to haunt, to kill, and being captured” officers and soldiers of government forces, while possible, avoiding casualties among civilians. In the attack will apply to “normal attack, guerrilla war, acts of self-sacrifice martyrs, the shooting of his colleagues infiltrated the ranks of government forces by the Taliban, and mine warfare,” reads the message.
On Friday, April 21, dressed in Afghan military uniforms, the Taliban broke into the army base near the city of Mazar-I-Sharif. First, a suicide bomber activated an explosive device at the gate, then the extremists rode into the territory of the two pickups.
According to the representative of the U.S. Central command John Thomas, the purpose of the attack was the mosque and dining room, where Afghan soldiers and probably civilians working on the base. Killing at least 140 people.
After the attack, the retired defense Minister of Afghanistan, Abdullah Khan Habibi and chief of staff of the army Kadam Shah Shahim.