Dangam residents under Taliban siege

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Hundreds of residents, including women and children, remain under siege in the Dangam district of eastern Kunar province, an uprising leader said on Sunday.

Eight days ago, hundreds of heavily armed insurgents, mostly Pakistanis, launched a series of attacks on posts established by residents spearheading the uprising.

Haji Muzamil, one of the uprising leaders, told Pajhwok Afghan News security forces were yet to reach the areas under siege. He said the rebels had so far torched 40 houses of residents.

Muzamil added they put up strong resistance to the insurgents, but retreated after running out of bullets. Security forces have launched a ground offensive, but they are yet to reach the areas besieged by the rebels.

A military spokesman, Haroon Yousafzai, said seven Taliban insurgents had been killed and more than a dozen injured during a fierce clash with security forces in Dangam.

He said the operation was still ongoing and there had been complete coordination among security organs.

ma/mud