Daily Security Brief: March 14, 2012

BAGHLAN: A female teacher was brutally knifed to death by her brother in the northern province of Baghlan, official said on Wednesday.

Sima, a teacher at the Nawi Baghlan-i-Markazi Girls High School, was killed by her brother on Tuesday night in the Sugar Factory area of Baghlan-i-Markazi district, said Col. Mohammad Kamin, the town’s police chief.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that the teacher succumbed to her injuries in the district hospital.

The attacker managed to flee from the scene but a manhunt was launched to nab the culprit.

The victim’s body was handed over to her family, said Khalil Naramgo, the hospital surgeon.

Meanwhile, director of Women Affairs Department, Rahima Zarifi, condemned the murder, saying 187 cases of violence against women were registered over the past one year, compared to 150 in the previous year – with nearly 24 percent jump.

–Habib-ur-Rahman

Myn/vp

HELMAND: Eight civilians were killed after a van carrying them hit a roadside bomb in the Marja district, of southern Helmand province, on Wednesday, an official said.

The strong explosion took place at about 1.30 pm in Regi square of the district, after the van hit the bomb, killing the passengers, governor’s spokesman, Daud Ahmadi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.  

Administrative head of Marja, Abdul Mutalib Majibor, said the bomb was planted by rebels, targetting Afghan and foreign troops, involved in the anti-poppy drive in the area.

So far Taliban had not claimed responsibility for the blast.

–Zainullah Stanikzai

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HELMAND: One Taliban fighter was killed and three rebel commanders captured during an ongoing operation by foreign troops in southern Helmand province, officials said on Wednesday, but the Taliban claimed six of their fighters were killed.

The operation that began on Tuesday was still in progress in the Gandomariz area of Kajaki district, Col. Muhammad Ismail Hottak, deputy police chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

One fighter was killed and three commanders arrested in the offensive unilaterally launched by foreign troops, he said.

The two commanders were captured while burying the dead insurgents, he said, adding the foreign troops were unhurt.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said six fighters were killed in clashes with the troops, who also suffered casualties in roadside bomb attacks.

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