MAIDAN CITY (SW): Hayatullah Hayat, governor of the central Maidan Wardak province lamented the lack of coordination among security forces in restive Jalrez district that led to casualties and fall of various check posts to the militants.
On Wednesday (01 July), more than hundred militants stormed northern Jalrez district bordering the capital Kabul. The militants encircled government forces and engaged them in heavy fighting for days. Talking to SW on Sunday (05 July), Hayat said 24 local policemen, 40 Taliban militants and 9 civilians have died in the clashes so far.
The high number of forces’ casualties was deplored by political leaders in Kabul. Deputy Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqiq criticized the central government for not dispatching support to the besieged soldiers in time. He was speaking at the funeral of slain soldiers on Sunday.
The government forces have launched clean-up operation in Jalrez.
ENDS
Promising a thorough investigation into the incident, the provincial governor vowed to swiftly take back control of the security posts.
Meanwhile, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has tasked a delegation to probe the incident. The delegation has been instructed to assess the security situation, identify the losses and casualties, and bring the report to the Office of the President.
Under the Presidential decree to launch the probe, the office of the Governor, Provincial Council, religious scholars, tribal elders and other influential figures of Maidan Wardak province has been instructed to cooperate with the investigation.
President Ghani condemned in the strongest terms the desecration over bodies of the local police in Jalriz
“No canons or treaties, either domestic or international allow disrespecting corpses and the holy religion of Islam strictly prohibits such acts", he said in a statement.
ENDS
