10 killed in Kunduz, Jawzjan on Election Day

KUNDUZ/SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Seven insurgents and three security personnel have been killed and 14 others wounded during Election Day’s violence in northern Kunduz and Jawzjan provinces, officials said on Sunday.

The seven rebels were eliminated and seven more were wounded after security forces retaliated to their attacks targeting polling centres with rocket fire in Khan Abad and Chahar Dara districts on Saturday, Kunduz police chief said.

Brig. Gen. Ghulam Mustafa Muhseni said one Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier and one policeman were also killed and two others wounded during the clashes.

“The armed opposition wanted to disrupt the election with their attacks, but failed because people voted by defying their threats,” he said.

Meanwhile, five insurgents were injured when a mortar shell detonated before being fired into the Qush Tapa district of Jawzjan province on Saturday evening, police chief Brig. Gen. Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said.

Several mortars fired by rebels landed the town on Saturday, but caused no casualties among civilians and security forces.

But one of the mortars the rebels wanted to fire exploded prematurely, injuring five insurgents, including their commanders Qari Aman and Qari Hikmat, the police chief said.

A police official was killed after he tried to defuse a landmine. Eighteen roadside bombs were found during search operations in Mardian, Faizabad, Khumab and Qarqin districts by security forces.

A resident of the Qush Tepa district, Mohammad Aslam, said the rebels were unable to keep people from going to polling centres.

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