Logar residents worried about growing insecurity

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): Taliban militants who hold away in 70 percent of central Logar province have intensified their targeted attacks in the province, a public representative says.

The residents of Logar province say they are concerned about increasing insecurity which they blame on government’s negligence, but security officials reject their allegations.

Mohammad Qaseem Khoshiwal, a member of the Logar Provincial Council, told Pajhwok Afghan News that insecurity had increased in the province particularly on the Kabul-Logar highway. 

“Seventy per cent of the province land is under Taliban’s control where they enforce their own laws and have recently increased targeted killings across the province, something intolerable,” the public representative said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Yousuf, an influential elder in Pul-i-Alam, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok that they lived along the Kabul-Gardez highway, which is insecure.

He said Taliban militants often searched vehicles and people on the highway, creating panic.

Ajmal, a civil society activist, said many families had fled capital Kabul due insecurity in their own areas.

He said, “I am living in Mohammad Agha district which is around 30 kilometers away from Kabul, but the district has security, thus people are leaving their homes.”

“Crimes have increased compared to the past in the province”, he concluded.

A number of other residents expressed similar views and urged the government to pay strong attention to Logar’s security situation.

Meanwhile, Abdul Wali Wakil, the deputy provincial council chief, told Pajhwok that many people daily visited the PC office complaining about insecurity.

He also urged the government to take measures for improvement of security in the province.

However, provincial police spokesman Shapur Ahmadzai said rejected the security situation had deteriorated due to security forces’ negligence. He assured police would take more steps to ensure security of people.

About the relevant issue, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid  said the security situation was good in all areas under Taliban’s control.

He said it were often security forces causing causalities to civilians during their nighttime operations.

pk/ma