Logar uprising leader killed in Taliban ambush

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok):  A public uprising commander was killed along with his three fighters after Taliban insurgents ambushed them in the Barak-i-Barak district of central Logar province on Sunday, officials said.

Haji Khalil was travelling from home to the district centre when came under attack from Taliban militants in the Deh Sheikh area in the afternoon, the town’s administrative head told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Mohammad Rahim Amin said Khalil and his men exchanged fire with the attackers for half an hour, but eventually killed. A fourth uprising member was injured in the clash.

Amin said the insurgents set ablaze Khalil’s pick-up vehicle before fleeing the area. He said Khalil had been leading the anti-Taliban militia for the last one year, clearing 20 villages from the rebels.

Din Mohammad Darwesh, the provincial government spokesman, also confirmed the killing of Khalil and his three fighters in the ambush.

A resident of the area, Humayun, told Pajhwok Afghan News the uprising leader was ambushed in the middle of the Deh Sheikh village. He said Khalil’s body remained on the ground for some time as no one dared to collect his remains.

He said Khalil had previously lost his son and two nephews to clashes with Taliban.

Khalil was the second uprising leader in the area to be killed by Taliban, who are yet to comment about the latest incident.

Elsewhere, insurgents gunned down a retired district judge in the capital city of western Herat province on Sunday.

Police spokesman Abdul Rauf Ahmadi told Pajhwok Afghan News the former judge, Mohammad Ismail, was attacked in the 12th police district of Herat City shortly after 10am.

He said Ismail was a resident of Badghis province and had recently retired as judge in the Qadis district.

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