Airstrikes kill 31 Taliban in Ghazni’s Qarabagh district

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Local officials on Tuesday said airstrikes killed 31 Taliban insurgents in the Qarabagh district of southern Ghazni province.

Clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban militants have been ongoing in the troubled district over the last several months, forcing security forces to remove posts except from the district center.

Naqibullah, a resident of Qarabagh district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the Taliban had asked shopkeepers of the district center to close their shops.

“Hotels and bakeries in the district center have been shut for the last one month and the Taliban three days earlier told all shopkeepers they should shut their businesses,” he said.

Abdul Hadi, another resident of the district, said the Taliban were stationed in Layagh area on the outskirts of the district center and they could attack the district center anytime they wanted.

“Taliban have closed the district bazaar because they want to attack the Afghan forces there and capture the district,” he said.

A number of other residents of the district held similar views.

Ghazni governor’s spokesman, Mohammad Arif Noori, also said the Taliban had closed the district center.

However, he said 31 rebels were killed in airstrikes around the district center on Monday night. He said the operation would continue.

He said a massive operation would be launched for improving security in Qarabagh district in near future.

On the other hand, the Taliban rejected official claims. The group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the district center had not been closed by Taliban but by people.

“There were frequent clashes in the district center, therefore people preferred to close their businesses for their safety,” he said.

The Taliban have been in full control of eight districts of the province while the government controls only centers of five other districts.

mds/ma

Views: 12