Senators say Iran attacked Kam Kham Dam in wake of govt inertia

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KABUL:  Some of members of the Senate have accused the government of inaction which they alleged had Iran attack to sabotage the Kamal Khan hydropower dam.

Kamal Khan dam is located in the western province of Nimroz bordering Iran’s province of Sistan and Baluchestan. The dam is planned to be built on the Helmand River flowing into Iran.

On Monday, a group of armed men attacked the police post stationed for the dam’s security.

A number of senators claim that the attack had been organized by Iranian government, with senator Mohammad Nader Balooch saying that the attack explained “neighboring countries do not want the Kamal Khan dam be built”.

“We are a hundred per cent worried that if the government continues carelessness, we will witness more military moves from Iran and Pakistan on Kamal Khan dam,” Balooch said Wednesday, without offering evidences supporting his allegations.

Provincial officials blame “opposition armed groups” for the attack. Nimroz police spokesman, Wali Ahmad Sarih said that two police officers were killed in the attack and another one injured, adding that five of the assailants were also killed and seven more wounded.

He could not confirm Balooch’s allegation that the attackers crossed the border to Iran after being defeated.

The project of the dam construction began in April with a 78 million dollar expense from the government’s development budget. Ministry of water and energy says it would be completed within four year.

President Ashraf Ghani had said during the inauguration of the dam construction that the project aimed managing of the country’s waters to prevent wasting Afghanistan’s waters.

According to Balooch, the project was expected to go ahead by 30 per cent, but only 12 per cent of the construction has been done.

Neighboring countries of Iran and Pakistan have been frequently accused of making obstacles before the use of Afghanistan waters inside the country.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif had earlier warned that Tehran would use any pressures against Afghanistan to gain its water rights.

Interior ministry says it has serious plans to provide security of the Kamal Khan dam, but could not confirm if Iran had hands behind the recent attack.

“The regional intelligence agencies are surely behind some inauspicious plans and operations in Afghanistan. Pakistan is behind the most of these plans and Iran has also hands in some,” said Nosrat Rahimi, deputy interior ministry spokesman.