Afghanistan Times
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Abdul Zuhoor Qayomi-KABUL: Members of the Wolesi Jirga (WJ) expressed their concerns over increasing insecurity and alleged that security officials are fueling insecurity.
In the Saturday’s session, they discussed insecurity in different parts of the country and killing of local policemen by the Taliban after a long clash.
They alleged that provincial police officials and the Ministry of Interior (MoI) were involved in killing of 27 local policemen in Maidan Wardak. The MPs termed the mass killing as political plot by the country’s security officials.
Seddiqa Mubariz, an MP from Maidan Wardak, said that 27 service members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) were killed by the Taliban due to lack of facilities.
“Ministry of Interior has not dispatched additional local policemen on time, though the situation was very critical. I contacted the ministry again and again, but the ministry was misguided by the false reports of the provincial police,” she said.
She accused the police chief of Maidan Wardak and Public Protection Police (PPP) of ignorance, adding that they did not support the local policemen in the battle.
“The provincial police chief also kept the ministry in dark about needs of the ALP. The local policemen required weapons. They were killed after long gunfight lasting for several hours. They were killed because they lacked weapons,” she claimed.
Hameeda Wardak, another legislator from the province, said the local policemen were killed after 72 hours of gunfight with the Taliban, and lost their lives due to lack of weapons and support, though they were two kilometers away from the provincial capital.
She said the Taliban has gouged out eyes of those local policemen who were made hostage. The interior ministry could save only one police post at late night while scores of security pots were seized by the Taliban, she added.
“Maidan Wardak’s districts have turned into safe heavens for the militant group. There are scores of explosives making laboratories. The government cannot secure the capital city, Kabul, if it failed to eliminate insurgents from Wardak,” she warned, adding that the Taliban would block the Kabul-Kandahar highway if the security organizations do not take steps.
Asadullah Saadati, an MP from Bamyan, said that there are three bases of the national police, but did not support the ALP members who were killed. “The Taliban have cut body parties of the killed local police. The concerned officials must be brought to the court of justice for treason. They should be asked that why the policemen were abandoned,” he lamented.
Obaidullah Barekzai, an MP from Uruzgan, said the provincial governors and police chiefs submit misleading reports on security situation.
He said that most of the provincial authorities claim that situation is under control, but the ground realities projects a different picture. The lawmaker added that most of the provincial police chiefs take salary of “ghost soldiers” to fill their pockets.
According to a press statement issued by the provincial government, at least 40 insurgents including three commanders were killed and 18 others injured in clashes on the Kabul-Bamyan highway in Jalriz district.
While condemning the killings of local policemen by the insurgents, Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga, Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, directed the Internal Security Committee and Defense Committee of the house to summon the relevant officials.
Ibrahimi said that President Ashraf Ghani has “utterly failed” in restoring security in most of the insecure provinces as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Only the city of Chardara has been retaken from the Taliban while hundreds of families are still displaced, he said, adding that the relevant officials must be asked about staggering insecurity in Jalriz and Kunduz.
The deputy spokesman to the interior ministry, Najib Danish, has rejected the allegations and claimed the ALP was supported, “but late”.
Talking to Afghanistan Times, he said that police could not reach on time to support the local policemen due to uncarpeted and bumpy roads and landmines.
