Taliban video details takeover of eastern Afghan district

The Taliban released a propaganda video of its fighters battling to take control of the district of Jani Khel in Paktia province. The district fell to the Taliban last week, along with two others in different regions of Afghanistan.

The video, released by El Emarah Studio, a “part of Multimedia Branch the Cultural Commission Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” shows Taliban fighters fighting at “defensive check posts of the district center.” Taliban fighters are shown just after they overrun mountaintop bases surrounding the Jani Khel district center.

During the fighting, the Taliban killed at least one dozen Afghan security personnel and captured 10 more. The bodies of Afghan soldiers are presented in the video, while the leader of the Taliban in Jani Khel interviews the captured Afghan security personnel at the end.

The Taliban displayed US-supplied HUMVEES and Ranger pickup trucks used by the police and military that were captured or destroyed. The Taliban also seized a large quantity of rocket propelled grenade launchers, machine guns, rifles, mortars, and other weapons. Additionally, crates and cases of ammunition were also looted from the district center.

Jani Khel, which fell on July 25, remains under the control of the Taliban. Paktia province is a known stronghold of the Haqqani Network, the powerful Taliban subgroup that is based in eastern Afghanistan and in Pakistan’s tribal areas that is closely allied to al Qaeda.

Images from the Taliban video, entitled “Conquest of Jani Khel”