TALUQAN (SW): Locals have said the Taliban militants are busy working on township projects in Takhar province’s Darqad and Khwaja Bahauddin districts.
According to the residents, the Taliban have distributed up to 500 shops, hotels and petrol pumps among people in Shor Arab area of the Darqad district. It was informed that they have also distributed up to 80 shops in the Arpali area of Khwaja Bahauddin district. According to the locals, the Taliban have forcefully taken up to AFN 25,000 from each individual in this regard, and have forced them to move to the new place within a month.
In the case of incompliance, the Taliban have warned them their properties would be confiscated.
Malik Tatar, commander of the local anti-Taliban militia, has acknowledged these reports. He said the Taliban have encroached upon public property for this cause. Tatar went on to charge the militants for setting large swaths of forests on fire for the establishment of two illegal townships.
Meanwhile, Khalil Asir, spokesman for the provincial police headquarters, has only confirmed reports about the Taliban establishing a township in the Shor Arab area with up to 80 shops. He rejected any such reports about the township in the Arpali area.
The Taliban have not commented on this matter. The Taliban have pronounced the Darqad island as their epicenter in the area.
ENDS
