Bodies of 11 security personnel handed over to govt

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): The Taliban have handed over the bodies of 11 police and soldiers to security organs in the Warduj district of northeastern Badakhshan province, an official said Tuesday.

The militants, who captured Warduj on October 1, are still in control of the remote restive district, killing a number of security personnel in clashes.

A security source, wishing anonymity, told Pajhwok Afghan News they had received the bodies of 11 Afghan forces from the insurgents with the help of local tribal elders.

Provincial Council Secretary Ahmad Javed Mujaddedi said the security personnel were captured before being put to death by the militants.

He added the Taliban had been trying to hide the bodies of the ANA soldiers and Public Order police officials, but local residents discovered the corpses and handed them over to Afghan forces.

The bodies of the victims, residents of different provinces, were airlifted in a helicopter to Kabul on Tuesday, Mujaddedi added.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed transferring the corpses of 19 soldiers killed in Warduj. Mediation from elders led to the handover.

He claimed 11 Afghan Local Police (ALP) members had been killed during a clash in Yakhsher area of Baharak district.

However, police chief Col. Ghulam Sakhi Haidari rejected the claim and said three militants were wounded during a fight in Baharak on Monday night.

Baharak district was overrun by militants on October 2 before it was recaptured by Afghan forces after an operation. The Ministry of Interior had said 40 rebels were killed in the operation.

mds/mud

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