2 killed, 4 injured in Taliban attack on Jawzjan convoy

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): At least two people were killed and another four wounded after Taliban gunmen attacked a convoy of a private company’s vehicles carrying fuel in northern Jawzjan province on Wednesday, officials said.

Feridon Aniq, the Jawzjan governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the incident took place on the Shiberghan-Mazar-i-Sharif highway near Khanaqah Arabia village in Khanaqah district.

He said two civilians including a driver were killed and four others, all residents of the district, were wounded in the attack.

The Taliban fighters also took away a Hilux vehicle before Afghan forces reached the scene, Aniq added. Two Taliban fighters were also killed during a battle with the Afghan forces.

The Taliban probably attacked the convoy because they thought it belonged to Afghan forces, he suspected, adding the convoy was heading from Khanaqah district to Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province.

Residents of Shiberghan city say the Shibreghan-Mazar-i-Sharif highway remains insecure despite deployment of security posts.

Mohammad Younus, a Shiberghan resident, said many security incidents happened in the said area over the past one month.

He said many fuel tankers were hijacked from the highway while officials concerned were doing nothing to control the situation.

“If the situation does not improve, it would definitely affect the lives of local residents”, he said.

The Taliban have not commented yet about the attack that comes 10 days after the rebels attacked a convoy of fuel tankers and seized two tankers along with their drivers who were released after the tankers were emptied in the same area.

mds/ma