4 civilians killed in Faryab mortar shelling

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): At least four civilians were killed and as many others injured in a mortar shell strike in southwestern Faryab province where militants set on fire 10 houses of Afghan forces.

Sebghatullah Silab, deputy provincial council head of Faryab, told Pajhwok Afghan News that four civilians were killed and four others wounded in a mortar shell strike in Balcheragh district of the province on Sunday.

He said that it was unclear who fired the mortar shell.

However, Abdul Rahim, governor of Balcheraght district said that the Taliban fired the mortar shell that killed two civilians and injured four others.

On the other hand, one of the injured person said that the mortar shell was fired by Afghan security forces.

Qudratullah, one of the injured in Maimana Civil Hospital in the capital of Faryab told Pajhwok that Afghan forces fired the mortar shell that hit his house.

He said four of his family members including two men and two women were killed and four others including him were injured.

Maawia, one another injured person said, “We were in our home when the mortar shell landed in our house,”

He said that three people were killed instantly when the bomb hit their house and five people including his 13 years old daughter were injured.

He said that his daughter succumbed to injuries before reaching to the hospital.

Doctors in Maimana Civil Hospital said that the health condition of two of the injured was critical.

Meanwhile, a number of relatives of the incident victims carried the bodies of the dead people to the police headquarters of Balcheragh district and asked the government not to carry out airstrikes and mortar shell attacks in the future.

According to another report, militants torched 10 houses belonged to Afghan security forces in Khwaja Sabzposh district of Faryab.

Abdul Karim Yurish, Faryab police spokesman, said that Taliban militants set on fire the houses of 10 local security forces in Khwaja Qeshri area of the district after a clash.

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