PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW) – A letter obtained by Salam Watandar indicates collaboration between the Baghlan police chief and the Taliban insurgents.
The letter, dated 06 July sent by the Interior Ministry’s Planning and Operations Department to the Baghlan Police Deputy Chief of Security, implicitly states that the Taliban intelligence chief in the province, Qari Zahir, carried out terrorist attacks on the government forces after asked the police chief to cooperate.
The letter states that the Baghlan police chief, in response to a call from the Taliban intelligence chief, said that the leadership of the war was in the hands of Afghan National Army and that he “apparently is not capable of cooperating and preparing the ground for terrorist attacks.”
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According to the letter, the Taliban governor for Baghlan province, Maulvi Nisar, instructed the Taliban governor in Dahan-e- Ghori district to carry out offensive attacks. At the same time, the letter states that the group’s intelligence officer was also instructed to prepare two vehicles full of explosives, one of which exploded at the entrance to Mazar-e-Sharif and the other with three suicide bombers on the Cement Khana hill followed by ground assaults by the Taliban.
Security sources in Baghlan province confirmed the authenticity of the letter. Requesting to stay anonymous, owing to sensitivity of the matter, they said the letter had also reached them. Sources said they were aware of the possibility of a car bombing and terrorist plans by the Taliban.
According to sources, the letter was sent by the Ministry of Interior to the Baghlan Police Command for execution.
Sources believe that the Baghlan police chief was arrested and that he was collaborating with the Taliban in carrying out terrorist attacks, and that based on their knowledge of the commander’s background and his frequent involvement in such matters, it was not unlikely that he would provide such ground for the Taliban.
But, Sayed Ashraf Sadat, the police chief of Baghlan province, in a conversation with Salam Watandar, stated that he was unaware of this letter. Denying the authenticity of the letter, the Baghlan police chief called it an enemy conspiracy and said that he had always been committed to fighting terrorists and their conspiracies.
The Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, but Gen. Ajmal Omar Shinwari, spokesman for the security sector, denied that the Baghlan police chief was involved in the terrorist attacks or collaborating with the Taliban.
Earlier, a letter obtained by Salam Watandar indicated that due to the negligence of the local administration, local officials had handed over the Baraka district of Baghlan province to the Taliban without any clashes and had moved to Nahrin district.
ENDS
