Hesarak anti-rebel campaigners running out of bullets

JALALABAD (PAN): Members of a public uprising battling the insurgents in the Hesarak district of eastern Nangarhar province are running out of ammunition, officials said on Thursday, fearing the armed campaign could fail in the absence of government’s help.

Involving mostly youth, the uprising that began on Thursday morning had so far resulted in purging 75 percent areas from the rebels, the district chief said.

Haji Abdul Haq Maroof told Pajhwok Afghan News the government was yet to assist the uprising members, who are running out of bullets.

As a result of no cooperation on the part of government, he said, members of the uprising were on Friday unable gain more grounds against the rebels, who could stage a comeback and retake areas purged from them. “The entire district, excluding four villages, has been cleansed from rebels as a result of the uprising,” the official said.

However, the 201st Selab Military spokesman Col. Numan Hatifi said the troops could not help the uprising force until directed by the Ministry of Defence to do so.

A tribal elder in the district, Hassan Khan, said residents had been able to capture six villages from the insurgents. He also complained the government was yet to extend the uprising members any support, which he called crucial to maintaining control of the areas.

Meanwhile, two rebels were killed and three others were wounded during a clash with border police in the Lalpur district.

A border police spokesman Idrees Momand told Pajhwok Afghan News the overnight clash broke out in the Fateh Meena area after a group of insurgents attacked a border police post.

Two attackers were killed and three others wounded when the police returned fire, he said, adding the police were unharmed.

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