2 civilians killed, 14 injured in Faryab mortar strike

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Two civilians were killed and 14 others injured when two mortars hit a marketplace in Almar district of northern Faryab province on Sunday.

The wounded people accused government forces of firing the mortars, but police spokesman Abdul KarimYurash blamed it on the Taliban.

Yurash said the rebels fired two mortar shells at security forces and both hit a market and killed two civilians and injured 14 others. Several shops were damaged in the incident.

A reliable source, who did not want to be named, said one of the mortars was fired security forces stationed at Khajeh Osman camp.

Nizamuddin, one of the injured, said, four people were sitting in a shop when an artillery shell fired from the Khajeh Osman hit the shop.

Ahmad Javed, a nurse at the Almar Clinic, and Ramin, a 13-year-old student who were injured in the incident, said the Taliban entered the bazaar in Almar district and started fighting with security forces.

Ramin said they took refuge in a pharmacy shop when a cannonball fired by security forces hit the shop, injuring more than a dozen people, including him.

He also said two people were killed in the incident.

Dr. GhulamSokhiHalim, a doctor at the Maimana Hospital, said they received seven injured people from Almar district. He said a teenager among the injured died and six others in critical condition were undergoing surgery.

bk/ma