Escalating insecurity worries Maqur residents

GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Residents on Friday urged the central governmetn to deploy additional soldiers to southern Ghazni province to ensure their security; otherwise they will be forced into leaving their homes.

Speakign to a team of investigators, who had been to the Maqur district to probe the killing of three civilians injuries to 17 others, the residnets said the district government was too weak to defeat the Taliban.

Community leader, Akbar Khan, said the fighters had attacked the district headquarters and other offices several times. The frequent assaults were demonstartive of the militants’ strength, he added.

Another tribal elder, Abdul Rahim, warned that residents would would have to flee the area if effective steps were not taken to improve the security situation.

In resonse to the demand, provincail police chief Brig. Gen. Zarawar Zahid said they would set up three more checkpoitns. He acknowledged the rebels attacked the town in broad daylight.

Afghan police and army personnel, as well as NATO-Kandahar highway, but the law and order situation remains from satisfactory.

District chief, Sahib Khan, feared insecurity would increase in Aabband, Qarabagh and Gilan districts as long as the rebels stayed in control of the Nawa town.

On Wednesday, local officials said three civilians were killed in a rocket attack on the district headquarters, but residents put the death toll at six.

“I saw three people killed on the spot. Another two died in hospital. A woman wounded in the attack also succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital,” witness Noor Gul said.

On average, the district headquarters comes under three to four militant attacks. The Taliban often target NATO supply convoys, said another resident, Murad Khan.

“Frustrated by the current situatoin, we have two options: Either we should flee the area or the government should provide us security,” he concluded.

frm/mud

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