Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The Minister of Interior, Noor-ul-Haq Ulumi, called on Afghan security forces to take action against both domestic and foreign militants in Badakhshan.
Following that 28 army troops were killed in a fierce fighting in Badakhshan province, Ulumi visited the province the other day to meet with Afghan troops and local people in Jurm and Wardooj districts.
Seddiq Seddiqi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told Azadi Radio that local people were concerned about presence of foreign militants in the districts of Wardooj and Jurm.
“There are hundreds of militants in the districts and Afghan security forces will spare no efforts to clear the areas from presence of insurgents,” he added.
Sediqi said that the information provided to the ministry about the number of militants in Jurm district was exaggerated. “The minister of interior instructed Afghan security forces to clear the province from both domestic and foreign militants,” he added.
The deputy governor of Badakhshan, Gul Muhamad Bedar, had previously said that around 8,000 militants, half of them foreigners, have sought sanctuaries in Khastak area of Jurm district of Badakhshan.
Khaled Pashtun, a lawmaker, said that Afghan security forces are capable of curbing militants, but they need more equipment during clearance operations.
