8 killed, 12 injured in Kapisa, Wardak incidents

MAHMOOD RAQI/MAIDAN SHAHR (Pajhwok): Five insurgents and three civilians were killed and seven civilians and five rebels injured during separate incidents in Kapisa and Maidan Wardak provinces, officials and residents said on Sunday.

The five insurgents were killed during a security operation in the Tagab district of central Kapisa, residents and officials said.

Residents said commando forces, backed by air support, conducted operations in Adezai and Mirakhel areas late on Saturday.

Mira Khan, a resident, said five insurgents had been killed and five others wounded during the operations that left five civilians injured as well.

Another resident, Mirwais, said residents remained indoors during the operations and confirmed some residents had been wounded.

Kapisa deputy police chief Ibadullah Talwar said two militants were killed and two captured alive during the operations.

He said search operations were underway in the district and many areas had been cleared of insurgents. He said nothing about civilian casualties.

A member of the provincial council, Haji Azizullah Sapi, claimed security forces had detained up to 100 residents during the operations. He said most of the detainees were innocent and urged security forces to release them.

In central Maidan Wardak province, three civilians, including a woman, were killed and two others wounded after being caught in the crossfire between armed insurgents and security forces in the Nirkh district on Saturday.

Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial government spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News the dead included a 60-year-old man, a woman and a 12-year-old boy.

He said another two civilians were injured during the clash and a Taliban commander was captured alive by the security forces.

Khogyani said the civilians suffered casualties after being hit by a mortar shell and security forces did not carry mortars during the clash. He said an investigation into the incident had been launched.

A resident of Khan Jankhel village, where the clash took place, Himattullah told Pajhwok Afghan News residents often suffered casualties during clashes between security forces and armed insurgents.

He said both security forces and insurgents escaped unhurt in yesterday’s clash that only inflicted casualties on civilians.

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