Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The roads leading to the Loya Jirga place in western Kabul have been blocked by security forces, a move to adopt tight security for the jirga held Monday with the participation of 3,200 delegates from 34 provinces to seek ways for peace talks with Taliban insurgents.
The road blocks during the four-day jirga have created serious problems for Kabul residents. A new-born baby lost his life on Sunday after his father failed to take him to hospital as he was sick.
Thousands of people in the western areas have to walk to their destinations, as security forces ban vehicles and even bicycles.
“I have my sick son in the car. Security forces do not let me take him to hospital. The jirga is being held at the Polytechnic University, so why are they blocking this road that is not leading there?” said Hashem, a resident of Kabul who begging police and army to let him drive to a nearby hospital.
Mohsen, another Kabul resident said that he needed to go to hospital because he was suffering diabetes. “I cannot go on foot, and security forces do not let me go by car.”
The passerby people are checked in the tens of checkpoints temporarily established in several parts of Kabul city.
Ministry of Public Health said that it had provided ambulances for the service of those who need to go to medical facilities.
“We have tasked 10 ambulances in the jirga area and other neighborhoods where roads are blocked. Last night, our ambulances took 53 patients to hospitals,” said Mohammad Alem Asem, head of Kabul ambulance department.
