2 Badghis girls killed by relatives over love

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): Two young girls have been murdered by their close relatives in northwestern Badghis province, officials said on Monday.

Zarghona Shirzad, provincial Women commander shot dead his young daughter on Monday afternoon in Maqur district.

She identified the victim as Shah Pari, who wanted to elope with a man, but her father Commander Mullah Dastagir, sensing the situation,  shot dead his daughter in Omarzai village.

Shirzad said she had received information about the incident from area residents through telephonic communication.

Hours earlier in the same village, another girl was hanged to death by her fiancé in her home on Sunday night, Shirzad said quoting family members of the slain girl. The perpetrator had fled.

The two girls were killed a day after another a girl who had eloped with her lover was killed by her uncle in Hamla village on the outskirts of Qala-i-Naw, the provincial capital.

Security officials denied sharing details about the incident, pending ongoing investigation.

Elsewhere in northern Kunduz province, one security man was killed and another injured by unknown gunmen on Monday afternoon in the provincial capital, Kunduz City, a public representative said.

Provincial council head Amruddin Wali told Pajhwok the incident happened at about 4pm and the gunmen took way weapons of the police with them.

Expressing concern over the current situation in Kunduz, Wali wondered how civilians could feel safe when police officers were assassinated in broad daylight and their weapons snatched.

Dr. Naeem Mangal, Kunduz zonal hospital director, confirmed receiving two injured security personnel and said one of them died in the hospital and the other was in critical condition.

sns/ma