PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): Residents in northern Baghlan province have expressed concerned over the presence of the Taliban militants in many parts of the province despite the military operation.
Many of the residents have expressed satisfaction with the operation saying that the operation “Nawid-1” has been very effective in ensuring security in their areas but they added that the local government in the province has no specific plan to preserve these gains.
They said that the Taliban have recaptured a large swath of the areas. Local security officials however, have said that over the past two months, more than 70 villages have been cleared of the enemy.
The residents told Salam Watandar that the operation “Nawid-1” led to ensure security in their areas but they are concerned that once the operations end, the Taliban would recapture the areas.
Sayed Muzafar, Mohibullah and Awaz Mohammad, three residents from Surkh Kotal and Dand-e-Ghori areas urged the government to continue the military operation until the Taliban are fully dismantled.
Abdul Hamid Hamid, a military official in Baghlan, has said that the security forces have cleared 70 villages of the militants over the past two months during the operation “Nawid-1”, and have inflicted heavy casualties upon the Taliban in Chashma-e-Shir and Surkh Kotal areas.
The Operation “Nawid-1”, which was launched two months ago to clear the Taliban of the areas like Mangalha, Joykana, Mangal, Qaisar Khyel and Surkh Kotal concluded today despite the reports that Dand-e-Ghori, Dand-e-Shahabuddin areas are still under the Taliban’s influnces.
ENDS
