1,281 crime suspects arrested in a month: MoI

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Interior Affairs on Monday said 1,281 individuals have been arrested in connection with 1,455 criminal cases nationwide within the past one month.

The arrest of such a large of criminals was announced after Taliban militants said in a statement they had taken measures to ensure security of Kabul citizens.

Tariq Aryan, MoI spokesman, told media persons in Kabul that 1,281 individuals had been detained in connection with 1,455 cases of kidnaping, murder, revenge, armed robbery and disrupting law and order during the past one month throughout the country.

Without elaborating, he said the cases included theft, domestic violence, illicit relationships, looting, drug trafficking, kidnapping and disturbing law and order.

He said 133 individuals had been arrested in connection with 146 criminal cases, including 24 murder cases, in the period in Kabul alone.

Of the100 Taliban militants tasked with target killing of government officials, 15 had been detained and efforts were underway for the arrest of the rest, Ayran said.

On the other hand, the Taliban in a statement said they have measures to prevent criminal activity in Kabul. Also a video was circulating on social media in which the Taliban are seen distributing leaflets to people in Kabul and pasting them on walls.

MoI spokesman Aryan confirmed the Taliban had issued a declaration that they were fighting criminals, but he said why the Taliban were killing people and security forces and why they killed 57 journalists in recent years.

He urged Kabul citizens to cooperate with security forces in arresting criminals in the capital.

Meanwhile, Sediq Sediqi, spokesman for the Presidential Palace, told a press conference about the Taliban statement that the insurgents wanted to use crime incidents in their favour through such propaganda.

He said 400 Taliban militants who were released based on the Loya Jirga decision were drug smugglers, robbers, kidnappers and murderers.

He stressed on the need of people cooperation with security forces, adding efforts were underway to ensure security in Kabul.

About two months back, the Ministry of Interior had announced the establishment of the Security Charter strategy to provide better security and effectively fight crimes.

However, Wolesi Jirga speaker Mir RahmanRahmani on Monday termed the Security Charter Program as a failure, saying its implementation further worsened the security situation in Kabul.

Tariq Aryan also said 889 Taliban insurgents had been killed and 449 others wounded during clashes with security forces during the last one month in the country.

pk/ma