MAIDAN CITY (SW): Hundreds of anti-Taliban armed militia members have been blamed for extortion in various districts of the Maidan Wardak province.
Residents in the provincial capital Maidan City, Jalrez, Narkh, Behsud and Syed Abad districts told Salam Watandar that the members of so called local uprising force are forcefully collecting taxes from them. The locals are concerned over the increasing numbers of these armed groups. The apprehended civilians have urged the government to bring an end to this dilemma.
Ehsanullah Ahmadzai, a local of the province, told Salam Watandar that a number of armed groups have emerged in the various districts that are busy collecting taxes from the locals. Mohammad Nawaz, another resident of the province, said that some individuals in the government are backing these groups, which has distanced the people from the government.
The provincial council agrees with this notion. Members of the provincial council said in this regard that hundreds of armed individuals have become active particularly in Jalrez and Behsud districts. Shareefullah Hotak, deputy chairman of the provincial council, said that an armed commander named Ali Put has a gang of hundreds of armed men that are forcefully collecting taxes from the locals. Hotak charged that these gangs are supported by individuals within the government, and are responsible for a number of abductions as well.
Zandigul Zamani, the governor, asserts that such groups are only active in the Behsud district. He vowed that if these groups failed to surrender the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) would act against them. Abdul Razaq Yaqobi, the provincial police chief, has expressed resolve to eliminate these illegal armed gangs. He affirmed that such groups are active but have no ties with the government.
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