Kabulis express different views about search operation

KABUL (Pajhwok): Residents of capital Kabul on Sunday said the ongoing search operation was a good step towards maintaining security and that they were satisfied with the behavior of security forces, while some others were unsatisfied and said only suspected houses should be checked.

Sunday was the third day of a search operation in some areas of Kabul and some other nearby provinces of the country.

A spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, ZabihullahMujahid, said the operation was aimed at capturing and eliminating “all kinds of thieves, kidnappers, evil elements and other criminals” who have previously been identified and chased.

Pajhwok Afghan News spoke to people whose homes had been searched in different parts of Kabul.

People say some houses were searched superficially, but others searched thoroughly.

Azizullah, a resident of NawiKhwajaBaghra area of ​​Kabul’s 15th police district, said that female police officers accompanied security forces during the operation and local representatives were coordinated and present in the area.

However, he said that his house was searched last Friday but there were no policewomen with the security forces during the operation.

“Two of my brothers were in the army of the previous government. Their pictures were hanging on walls of our room. They searched our house a lot. They checked blankets, cupboards, boxes, the yard, mattresses and everything. They even broke the box of my sister, which keys were missing,” he said.

He said his brothers had old military uniforms at home and security forces collected them.

Security forces were checking these houses in the presence of house owners, he said, adding that security forces should not enter people’s houses without the court order.

“Such searches spread a kind of fear among children, mothers and people. What does it mean to search everyone’s home? The search should be done based on the guilt of people,” he said.

Abdullah, a resident of Parwan-i-Seh area of Kabul, said that his house was also searched.

“They did not misbehave, but searched our house a lot, looked in the cupboards, and everything. There were no weapons or other harmful things in our house, they searched and left,” he said.

He said there were no women with the security forces during the search of their house and the women of his family gathered in one room and they searched other parts of his house.

Abdullah said that the search was good for security, but added the government should search only suspected houses.

Abdul Qayyum, a resident of Qabil Bay area of ninth police district of Kabul, said his house was also searched by security forces in the presence of local representative, a tribal elder and a female police officer.

He was happy from the behavior of security forces but said, “The search that is currently being carried out by the Islamic Emirate is creating a mess in houses, such searches should be stopped that create disorder.”

However, a resident of Bagrami area of Kabul, Mohammad Khalid said, “The security guards were divided into groups, three people came to our house, first opened the door of the guest house and looked up and down through the same door. They did not enter the room, they did not touch anything, we opened two bedrolls to check them inside, they also asked about some small things and then left the house.”

Syed Azim, a resident of Aminabad area of ​​Kabul, also said that security forces searched his house on Sunday morning.

“They came to our house, our women stayed in one room, but there were no female police officers with them. They entered our house and searched the house in five minutes. It was not a serious search like we feared,” he said.

He said that security forces were behaving very good and he was present during the whole search of his house.

Azim said that disarmament of people was a great step for the security in the country.

“When the former government collapsed, a lot of people stole a lot of things, they hid everything including weapons, we were tired of powerful figures in the past, so the weapons should be collected and handed over to the government,” he said.

People have to be patient, if the people do not support the government, they will continue to suffer from powerful figures like they did in the past, he said.

Sediqullah Samar, a resident of Hotkhel area said, “Our house was knocked two days ago, when I went to the door, they told us with good behavior that they want to search the house, they entered our house, saw my bicycle and the yard, they understood that I am a poor man and skimmed through all the things.”

However, he said that some of the houses were searched extensively and also checked the houses of people who have jobs in army. They also discovered weapons and military equipment from some houses, he said.

“A few days ago before the operation started, an armed group of robbers was shown up in Hotkhel who were posing as government people, they were robbing people’s houses. I am happy for the operation because it would stop thieves and criminals,” he said.

Before the operation began, the government said in a statement that the operation was aimed at providing better security to all the people in the country.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Saturday said in a statement that a clearing operationwas launched in Kabul to ensure security in the city.

mds/ma