15 Nangarhar religious scholars assassinated in 2 months

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Fifteen religious scholars have been killed as a result of security forces operations and militant attacks in the past two months in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said on Monday.

Maulvi and Religious Affairs director, during an exclusive chat with Pajhwok Afghan News said the killing spree of religious scholars had been ongoing from the past two years and in total 59 scholars had been killed during the period in Nangarhar.

He said security forces were involved in the killing of four religious scholars in the past two months. One was killed in Chaparhar district and three others were killed in Kama district.

Mujahid did not reject the notion that the killing of religious scholars was a ‘project’ and said elements behind their assassinations should know they could not stop the spread of religious knowledge. More seminaries and religion learning centres would be built and there would more followers.

Religious scholar Maulvi Habibullah Jalal said the project of the assassination of religious scholars was ongoing and added had worried them.

He asked the government and security institutions to investigate incidents of clerics assassination and hand the perpetrators over to the judiciary.

He said ulema were being targeted under different names and would have worst consequences if the government didn’t stop it.

Governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said Governor Shah Mahmood Miakhel had ordered the detective and intelligence personnel to investigate the issue and the earlier cases.

Police spokesman Faridullah said such incidents would be thwarted through installation of security cameras at important venues and installation of more check-points.

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