4 including Farah governor surrender to Taliban

KABUL (Pajhwok): A security official saud on Thursday the only Afghan National Army (ANA) brigade in western Farah province had surrendered to the Taliban without fighting.

The ANA brigade commander, the provincial council chairman and a Wolesi Jirga member from the province have fled to Iran.

The official, who did not want to be named, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Massoud Bakhtawar, the Farah governor, and his finance director had surrendered to the Taliban after a two-day siege of the ANA brigade headuarters.

The source revealed Mayor Najib Adabyar and National Directorate of Security (NDS) head for Farah Mohammad Omar had also surrendered to the rebels.

Abdul Sattar Hussaini, a representative of Farah in the Wolesi Jirga, Gen. Abdul Samad Shams, commander of the ANA brigade, and Dadullah Qane, head of the provincial council, along with hundreds of people fled to Iran in the wee hours of Thursday with 50 Humvees, the official said.

Around 300 ANA soldiers also surrendered to the insurgents last night, the official said.

The Taliban launched coordinated attacks on Farah City, the provincial capital two days ago. The city eventually collapsed without fighting.

Shams, commander of the ANA brigade, Hussaini and Qane, who were vehemently opposed to the Taliban, sought refuge in Iran.

mds/mud