HERAT CITY (SW): More than 40 civilians have been killed in targeted killings by the Taliban in western Herat’s Shindand district in the past one month, the locals said on Saturday.
The Afghan government has dissolved this large district into four smaller districts for the sake of better governance. But, a day before the local officials were to meet and arrange for the new structure, a religious elder was assassinated. The locals took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the assassinations.
They charged that Pakistan’s spy agency was actively involved behind destabilizing the district
Tor Mohammad Zarifi, a local elders said on the occasion that ever since the announcement to dissolve the district into four smaller ones has been announced, the spate of assassinations begun. He noted that more than 50 families have left the area out of fear. Zarifi said that the Taliban have killed 40 civilians in a month.
Mohammad Asif Rahimi, the governor said in this regard that the Taliban wish to stop the defragmentation of the district and that is why they have initiated killing tribal and religious elders.
He added that the militants loyal to Mullah Hibatullah and Mullah Rasul are active in this district and they fear confinement if the district is dissolved into four. He stressed efforts would be made to ensure peace and stability here.
ENDS
