MAIMANA (SW) – Local officials and military officers in Faryab province have blamed the Taliban for using civilian population as shelter.
Roz Mohammad Garanay, commander of the first brigade of the 209 – Shaheen Corps, told Salam Watandar the Taliban have no courage to face the security forces, and are hence using women and children as shield and civilians’ homes as bastions. He said the security forces are carefully advancing to avoid civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, Syed Sharafuddin, governor of Sheren Tagab district, said in this regard that the Taliban are also using civilians’ homes in this district. He added the Taliban have dug tunnels to connect homes on the roadside.
He said the security forces destroy these homes when faced with an attack, but the rebels flee through the tunnels, and ultimately the civilians are boring the brunt of the situation. The district governor said the Taliban are telling the locals they would become ‘martyrs’ if killed and would share the benefits of ‘Jehad’ if got injured.
A resident of the district, Ghulam Sakhi, said the locals have no choice, but to flee from their homes under such circumstances.
It is important to note the Taliban control villages in Sheren Tagab situated on the main Maimana – Mazar-e-Sharif highway. And, on various occasions they have targeted the security forces’ convoys on this highway from the civilians’ homes.
ENDS
