Taliban Fighters Kill at Least 140 Afghan Soldiers at Army Base

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/04/22/taliban_kill_at_least_140_afghan_soldiers_at_army_base.html
Taliban Fighters Kill at Least 140 Afghan Soldiers at Army Base
By Daniel Politi
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Afghan relatives carry the coffin of a Afghan National army (ANA) soldier killed in a Taliban attack on an army base in the Dihdadi district of Balkh province on April 22, 2017.
FARSHAD USYAN/AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan is in mourning after at least 140 soldiers were killed by a group of 10 Taliban fighters at a key base in northern Afghanistan. It was the deadliest single attack against an army base since the war began 16 years ago. “Today, there was even a shortage of coffins,” said Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province, where the attack took place.

There are conflicting figures on the death toll, with the defense ministry officially saying more than 100 were killed. Anonymous officials though say at least 140 were killed and some fear the death toll could be higher than 200. “Today, there was even a shortage of coffins,” said Ibrahim Khairandish, a member of the provincial council in Balkh Province.

Ten Taliban fighters wearing army uniforms entered the huge base and began an hours-long attack that included suicide bombings. Two of the Taliban attackers reportedly detonated their explosive vests inside a mosque that was busy due to Friday prayers.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders. A Taliban spokesman said as many as 500 soldiers were killed in the attack. He also claimed four of the attackers were army defectors who had served at the base. The attack lasted six hours and at least one of the attackers was arrested.

The Friday attack was a stark reminder of how badly things are going in Afghanistan, notes the New York Times:

Over the last two years, Taliban fighters have gained more territory in the countryside and now threaten several cities. Afghanistan’s forces, suffering enormous casualties and a leadership marred by indecision and corruption, have struggled to put up a defense.
More than 6,700 members of the Afghan security forces lost their lives in 2016, a record high that is nearly three times the total American casualties for the war.
In a new sign of how badly the Afghan military is faltering, the commander of the NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John W. Nicholson, has requested a few thousand additional American soldiers to assist in training Afghan recruits.
Daniel Politi has been contributing to Slate since 2004 and wrote the Today’s Papers column from 2006 to 2009. Follow him on Twitter.