9 rebels killed as ‘Operation Pamir 1’ starts in Kunduz

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): At least nine insurgents and one soldier have been so far killed during a newly launched operation codenamed ‘Pamir 1’ in northern Kunduz province, an official said on Tuesday.

The 808 Spinzar zone police commander in the northeast, Lt. Col. Shir Aziz Kamawal, told Pajhwok Afghan News the operation was launched at around 6am Tuesday morning across the province.

As of now, Chaharahi Hazrat Sultan locality of Kunduz city, the provincial capital, had been cleared of insurgents, he added.

Nine insurgents and one Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier were killed and one ANA soldier and 17 insurgents were injured during the operation.

The offensive was advancing with full cooperation between security forces and would continue until the province was completely cleared of insurgents, Sultan said.

Ghulam Rabbani Rabbani, a member of the provincial council, welcomed the launch of the operation. “Such operations had been earlier launched in Kunduz, but their results weren’t satisfactory.” He hoped the Pamir 1 Operation wouldn’t be like the past ones.

He said Kunduz needed a massive operation to drive insurgents from all areas. He called for more security forces to be stationed at sensitive areas of the province.

Meanwhile, high-ranking military officials in Kunduz promised the launch of another operation codenamed ‘Shafaq 2’ in the province.

sns/ma