Rebel leader injured, 3 killed in Faryab incidents

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): In separate incidents in northern Faryab province, a Taliban-designated district chief was injured while two insurgents were killed by the landmine they were planting, officials said on Sunday.

Mohammadullah Batash, acting governor, said Taliban’s Dawlatabad district chief Mullah Nooruddin was injured during a clearing operation on the Faryab-Jawzjan highway.

The joint operation, he said, was conducted to secure the highway that intermittently faced closure due to insurgent activities. Batash said clearing operations were also underway in Qaisar, Almar and Ghormach districts.

Meanwhile, 209th Shaheen Corps officials in Faryab said two insurgents were killed and a third wounded on Saturday night when the explosives they were trying to plant went off in Dawlatabad district.

The army personnel were scheduled to cross the road into a village today. Furthermore, a religious scholar was gunned down in 9th police district of Maimana.

Col. Mohammad Naeem Andarabi, police chief, said Maulvi Yadgar was killed by two unknown gunmen. The motive behind his murder remained unclear, he added.

hg/mud