Conflict displaces around 300 Badakhshan families

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Clashes over the past six months have displaced around 300 families in Arghanj Khwa district of northeastern Badakhshan province.

Farhenaz Pamiri, a provincial council member, told Pajhwok Afghan News that at least 35 displaced families had so far visited the Provincial Council office, asking for improvement of security in their areas so they could return to their homes.

She claimed the displaced families had asked the government to recruit their men in the security forces to defend their areas.

 “The situation of these displaced families is really grim, they are without shelter since fleeing homes towards Sheghnan, Baharak districts and the capital of Badakhshan, if the families are not helped, they may land in serious trouble with the arrival of winter,” she added.

Ziba Khanum, 40, who fled home in Dasht-i-Shiwa area of Arghanj Khwa district to Faizabad city, the provincial capital, said: “Our area is controlled by Taliban who usurped all our belongings, they killed our men and married our girls to their own members (by force), they expelled us from our homes and now use our homes as their bastions.”

Bismillah, another displaced person who fled home along with his eight family members is now living in Faizabad city.

“The Taliban would not only ask us to provide them food and clothes but they also forced families to pay 10,000 afghanis each. If anyone refused to pay the money, the Taliban would cut their hands. So we left our homes,” he said.

He said all residents of Arghanj Khwa district requested the government to clear their areas from militants and recruit their men in Afghan security forces.

Naik Mohammad Nazari, Badakhshan governor’s spokesman, said that the governor had asked charity organizations and relevant government departments to survey the displaced families from Arghanj Khwa and provide them with humanitarian assistance.

“Security organs would launch a clearing operation in areas from where families have been displaced to ensure security and facilitate their return,” he said.

Abdul Wahid Tebi, the provincial refugee and repatriation director, said a team has been tasked with surveying the Arghanj Khwah displaced families.

He said assistance to the displaced families would be delivered in one week after the survey was completed.

mds/ma

Views: 3