KABUL (Pajhwok): The National Security Council (NSC), th government’s powerful security organ, announced Thursday green-lighting a massive clearing operation in northern Baghlan province.

The council gave the go-ahead to the offensive at a meeting held on Wednesday night at Presidential Palace, where the interior minister briefed participants on the current security situation in Baghlan.

In a statement, the NSC praised the sacrifices of the security personnel in the ongoing offensive in the province and ordereda grand operation to purge the strategically important province of the insurgents.

Residents of Baghlan have repeatedly complained against insecurity as most parts of the province, including Tala Wa Barfak, Baghlan-i-Markazi, Burka districts and Pul-i-Khumri, the provincial capital, are under serious security threat.

Currently, heavy fighting between security forces and the Taliban is underway in Dand-i-Shahabuddin locality. Earlier, the Taliban had blown up three pylons in the area.

The NSC discussed the overall security situation of the country and noted the major threats posed by the enemy. The meeting also discussed a strategy for countering the insurgent threats in different parts of the country.

nh/mud