Woman among four dead in Paktika violence

SHARAN (PAN): A district council chief and two militants and a woman have been killed in separate incidents in southeastern Paktika province, officials said on Monday.

The tribal elder, Alam Khan Zadran, who was head of Urgun district, was kidnapped by armed men on Wednesday on his way to the district bazaar in Jandari area. His dead body was found Monday morning in the Mast area of Sarobi district, the governor’s spokesman said.

Mukhlis Afghan told Pajhwok Afghan News Zadran had been serving as Urgun district council head over the past six months. The governor expressed his deep shock over Zadran’s killing and had called the incident the handiwork of anti-government elements, Afghan added.

A resident of area, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zadran enjoyed good relations with Taliban and had many times broker peace deals between the Taliban and government. He said the Taliban had contacted the group who kidnapped the elder, but he was killed.

Meanwhile, Mukhlis said police clashed with insurgents in the Abaskhel village of Sarobi district. The clash resulted in the deaths of two attackers, he said, adding police seized a pick up vehicle, two motorcycles, and some weapons and explosives from the scene.

Elsewhere in the province, a woman was killed when a stray bullet hit her inside her home in Sararoza district, her husband said.

Ghulam told Pajhwok Afghan News there was clash between security guards of a private company and militants. She left behind four children, including a breastfed baby.

The widower urged both party to the conflict to avoid attacking each other in residential areas.

The woman’s death could not be officially confirmed.

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