Dangam: Rebels receive weapons from Pakistan

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Senior officials on Saturday claimed Taliban.

Since a week, hundreds of heavily-armed rebels have been attacking security posts established by residents spearheading an uprising against them.

Leaders of the uprising said the attacks had so far left dozens of houses torched and several residents dead and wounded, but security forces were yet to reach to their aid.

On Saturday, Governor Shujaul Mulk Jalala and police chief Abdul Habib Syedkhel told Pajhwok Afghan News the attacking rebels received weapons and ammunitions from across the border in Pakistan.

They said Kunar shared a long border with Pakistan and insurgents could easily cross into Afghanistan from the neighbouring country.

Syedkhel said insurgents were being trained across the border and sent to Afghanistan for attacks.

“These insurgents have waged an open war against members of the uprising and local population. We have strong evidence that Pakistani fighters are fighting in Dangam,” the police chief claimed.

Jalala said Afghan security forces had not achieved any considerable progress in Dangam and were yet to reach areas, where insurgents had besieged residents.

The governor said bombardment by the Defence Ministry’s helicopters in Dangam lived shortly and had no significant impact.

Jalala urged the central government to urgently send air support and commando forces to the troubled town to rescue the residents under attack.

He said last night’s operation in the Karkot area had resulted in clearing the area of insurgents. One army soldier was killed and three others injured during the operation, he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence announced that a large number of militants had been killed in the Dangam district, with security forces advancing.

The ministry said the dead insurgents included their shadow governor for Dangam.

The Taliban said a military convoy heading to Dangam was bombed, inflicting casualties on the troops.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents had ambushed the military convoy.

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