2 illegal gunmen killed in clash with Jawzjan uprising forces

SHIBERGHAN/KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Two gunmen loyal to an illegal armed commander were killed during a clash with public uprising forces in northern Jawzjan province, an official said on Thursday.

The clash erupted between gunmen linked to illegal commander Gul Ahmad and militiamen led by Allah Biram and Saheb Khan in Garjak area of Faizabad, Jawzjan governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Reza Ghafori, told Pajhwok Afghan News. At least two fighters of Gul Ahmad were killed and a third wounded in the clash, he said.

Muhammad Ismail, a resident of Garjak, said: “Gul Ahmad is a mugger not a shepherd or farmer. People dislike him as he forcibly takes ushr (10th percent of harvest) and zakat from them. He grabs sheep and goats from people and stops cars and loots them on highways”.

The resident alleged Gul Ahmad men stopped a 404 public transport bus on the Shiberghan-Mazar-i-Sharif highway two weeks ago and robbed passengers of cell phones and money. Gul Ahmad had dozens of gunmen and the government should disarm and punish him, he requested.

The governor’s spokesman, Ghafori, said Gul Ahmad kept changing his hideouts and security forces were searching for him to arrest him.

The Taliban also attacked both the uprising members and Gul Ahmad’s gunmen during their clash, but Gul Ahmad and the Taliban escaped when security forces arrived at the scene, he said.

The official said the public uprising forces did not suffer casualties and he had no information about Taliban casualties.

However, the Taliban claimed attacking both sides and killing three militiamen and wounding four others.

Separately, three persons were detained by police over alleged murder, drug smuggling and forgery charges in northern Kunduz province.

Crime branch chief Najibullah Sartir said one of the detainees, a drug smuggler, carried illegal weapons in Khanabad district.

The two others were arrested in connection with the killing and wounding of two civilians in Kunduz city.

The police official said 10 kilograms of drugs, two pistols and some fake documents including a car number plate, a passport and license were seized from the detainees.

sns/ma