Fear as army base being built near clinic, school in Faryab

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): The construction of a military base near a clinic and a girls high school in Qaisar district of northern Faryab province has worried local residents who fear it will further deteriorate the situation.

Abdul Jalil, principle of Jan Bibi Yozbashi girls high school, in an interview with Pajhwok Afghan News said the construction of the military base was worrisome for security of the school.

He said security forces had turned their school into a military camp and they did not allow the school staff to enter the school.

“Around 3,500 students study in the school and with shifting of security forces to the school, almost all its infrastructure has been damaged and also the Taliban have been targeting the school with rockets,” he said.

Dr. Sulaiman, chief of the district clinic in Qaisar district, feared that Taliban attacks will increase in the area if the base was built.

He said currently Qaisar district clinic had 23 personnel providing medical services to around 800 patients on a daily basis. He feared if the base was built, the medical staff would not be able to perform their duties.

On the other hand, Dr. Mohammad Naeem Musamem, the provincial public health chief, termed Dr. Sulaiman’s claims as false and said he had been dismissed from his post.

But Mohammad Nader Saeedi, a member of the Faryab provincial council, disputed Dr. Musamem’s words, saying he has been denying these threats because he was being pressurized by the provincial security officials.

General Ghaibullah Sadat, Faryab police chief, called these claims as false and said that construction of the base would decrease security challenges in the district.

Qaisar district is situated 60km west of Maimana city, the capital of Faryab and in the past four months, more than 10 districts have come under Taliban control, with hundreds of families fleeing homes.

Hr/ma

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