PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): The Taliban militants have encroached upon a number of mosques in the northern Baghlan province that are used to launch attacks on the government forces.
Javed Saleem, spokesman for the Afghan National Army (ANA)’s Special Forces in the area told Salam Watandar that some 30 mosques in the Dand-e-Ghori area are used as bases to attack the government forces. He added that the rebels have turned the mosques as well as the locals into ‘human-shields’.
The locals confirm reports about the rebels storing arms and ammunitions in the mosques under their control. Ajmal Dilawar, a resident of the Gohargan village in the Dand-e-Ghori area said that the rebels even do not allow the residents to offer prayers in these mosques.
Abdul Sattar Barez, the provincial government confirms such reports, and vows to conduct a comprehensive clean-up operation in the Dand-e-Ghori and Dand-e-Shahabudin areas. He went on to say that the Taliban also use hospitals and residential areas to hide from ground and aerial offensives by the government forces.
Last year, as many as 12 mosques were damaged during the offensives against the rebels. The government blamed rebels for it but the Taliban deny any wrongdoing.
ENDS
