Groom among 9 killed in Nangarhar attack

JALALABAD (PAN): Nine civilians were killed and six others were seriously injured when militants attacked a family that had gathered for a wedding ceremony in Dur Baba district of eastern Nangarhar province, officials said on Thursday.

The dead included, the groom, Nawsher Khan, 18, who was killed along with his father, uncle and four male cousins.

The family head, Rayees Khan, told Pajhwok Afghan News that a group of nearly 20 militants coming from Niazyan district attacked their house on Wednesday night in the Soor Kandaw area, which borders Pakistan.

The militants were loyal to Mangal Bagh, a notorious Taliban commander in Pakistan’s Khyber tribal region, which is home to Taliban insurgents, he said. Their family members neither worked for the government, nor they were spies, he said.

Another uncle of the groom, Alistan, said that his 25-year son, Mohammad Alam, was also killed. He had come from Ghanikhel district to participate in the wedding ceremony of his cousin.

Six of Alam’s family members were among the dead and four of his family members were wounded. Three other guests were killed and two others were injured, he said.

District Council Head Kawtar Khan Shinwari denounced the incident. The militants had no respect for human values and performed a gross injustice, he said. According to Shinwari, the victims were murdered because they would not cooperate with certain foreign entities.

The militants also burned a guestroom and car of a tribal elder, Jan Akbar, in Sarangi village of the Samraga area of the district, he said.

District chief Hamisha Gul said they had earlier received a report that militants planned to attack the district headquarters from the Maulvi Kotal area of Nazyan district, so they were prepared for defence.

He said as militants could not fight with government forces, they targeted civilians. The militants also kidnapped a child and two teachers from the area, but later released them. The Taliban told the teachers they carried out the attack on people cooperating with the government.

myn/ma

Visits: 7