GHOR (SW): Local officials and some residents of western Ghor province said that the Taliban are committing Black Hand crime in western districts of Ghor province by threatening and forcing the residents for extortion money.
Abdul Basir Qaderi, a member of the Ghor Provincial Council told Salam Watandar that in addition to controlling the Herat-Ghor highway, the Taliban are in command of the 6 western districts of Ghor province as well.
‘For a few months, the Taliban have been sending letters to government employees, local residents, and shopkeepers in the western districts of the province, threatening them and have been extorting money from them by force”, Abdul Basir Qaderi added.
According to Mr Qaderi, the Taliban have been extorting 100 AFN for each local resident, 200 to 500 for each car, motorcycle, and mill machine, and 500 for each sheep or cow.
Mr Qaderi added that the security will worsen in the spring season if the government does not secure the region and prevent Taliban from manoeuvres and taking extortion money from the public.
A number of the civil society activists also expressed their concern over the Black Hand crime by the Taliban and the widespread presence of this group in the western districts of Ghor province. These civil society activists informed that they have repeatedly called on local authorities and central government to target the major centers of these terrorist groups, but to no avail.
However, Ghulam Mustafa Mohseni, Ghor Police Chief, denied the claims of the members of the provincial council and the civil society activists saying that the Taliban are extorting only in their areas.
Ghor Police Chief said that they have not yet received a report on how the Taliban were extorting money from the government employees and the civilians.
These concerns are being raised while the members of the Ghor Provincial Council and a number of civil society activists said that the Taliban have purchased weapons and military equipment from the extortion money and have been fighting against the security forces in the province.
ENDS
