PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): Up to ninety percent families have left their homes in the restive Surkh Kotal area out of the fear of the Taliban, local officials in the northern Baghlan province said on Wednesday.
Besmillah Atash, member of the provincial council told Salam Watandar that as many as 200 families have left their native areas with the Taliban’s growing presence in the area. He noted that these families were supportive of the anti-Taliban Afghan Local Police (ALP) in Surkh Kotal area.
Atash added that many displaced families have moved to the neighboring Samangan province while some have chosen relatively safe districts within Baghlan.
The provincial council members have been blaming the central government for not doing enough to send additional troops to reclaim the areas from the rebels.
Feroz Aimaq, another member of the Baghlan provincial council said that the Taliban have closed down the main road connecting the provincial capital Pul-i-Khumri with Balkh province.
He charged that there are some five security check posts within the distance of 10 kilometers from the main highway in Surkh Kotal area but the security men deployed them do not bother to take initiative in countering the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Mahmood Haqmal, spokesman for the governor said in this regard that there was a war like situation prevailing in the area. He vowed that measures to calm things down are being taken.
The Taliban, on the other hand, assert things are under their control and they would not harm those promising not to cooperate with the Kabul government anymore. Surkh Kotal is an area at only six kilometres distance from the provincial capital Pul-i-Khumri.
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