TALUQAN (SW): The Taliban have forced tens of families of the security forces to flee from the Darqad district of Takhar province.
Local officials in the district informed Salam Watandar that the Taliban have warned the security forces to either lay down arms or leave their homes for good. Noor Mohammad, a local commander of the Afghan Local Police (ALP), said in this regard that the Taliban issued this warning two weeks ago.
Malik Tataar, another ALP commander in the Khwaja Bahauddin district of the province, said the Taliban have issued similar warnings to members of the army, police and local up-rising forces. The locals have echoed these reports, saying the Taliban have restarted work on their so-called ‘Umari township’ in the area.
Mawlawi Saifuddin, district governor for Darqad, has blamed the ‘failed’ military operation against the Taliban for the growing clout of the rebels in the area.
ENDS
