PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): If not preventedfrom fleeing to the Dohn-i-Ghori district of northern Baghlan province, the Taliban might return to Dand-i-Ghori area, officials and residents warned on Saturday.
In order to flee an ongoing military offensive in Dand-i-Ghori locality, the insurgents are said to be sneaking into Bibi Gahwara, Dara-i-Anjir and Aqsaid areas of Dohn-i-Ghori district
If they were not chased by security personnel, they could come back to the area on the outskirts of Pul-i-Khumri, the provincial police chief, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Ewaz Nazari, told Pajhwok Afghan News.
A resident of Gharoshakh village, Mohammad Ali, said: “Three days ago, an 11-member group of Taliban came to Dand-i-Ghori with no weapons and played volleyball there for quite a while.”
The government must conduct more operations against the fighters to eradicate the threat from the area, he stressed, asking the authorities not to be hoodwinked by the rebels’ shifting tactics.
However, Baghlan Governor Abdul Sattar Barez said the government had adopted plans to maintain security in the area after clearing it of the militantpresence. The rebels would not be allowed to stage a comeback, he promised.
They had inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban and they would not be be able to control the areas in future, asserted the commander of the 2nd brigade of the 209th Shaheen Military Corps, Brig. Gen. Ghulam Farooq Ahmadi.
On the other hand, the fighters claimed capturing 32 villages in Dand-i-Ghori area, including Amarkhel, Mazaryan, Mangal, Tajikan, Kandaharyan, HashtadJiriba, Sad Jiriba, Kharoti, Miranshah, Akorkhel, Hukamran, Larkhabi and others. But the police chief rejected the claim.
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