Daily Security Brief: November 3, 2011

KANDAHAR: An eight-member militant group operating in southern Kandahar province, the birthplace of the Taliban movement, has joined the peace process, officials said on Thursday.

Residents of Panjwai district, the fighters surrendered on Wednesday evening, the Governor’s House, said. The men, led by Commander Juma Kaka, gave up the insurgency as a result of efforts by the district chief and peace council members.

The district chief, Fazluddin Agha, said the reconciliation drive was successfully going on in Panjwai and another important group of Taliban would surrender in the near future.

Congratulating the men, Kandahar Peace Council Secretary Mohammad Omar Sati called upon insurgents to convince their associates into joining the peace process.

The surrendering Taliban said they had been misguided by some elements and would try to serve the country. However, they did not say who had misled them into the insurgency.

–Bashir Ahmad Naadem

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LOGAR: Four suspected militants were detained as a result of an operation in central Logar province, officials said on Thursday. 

The operation was launched by International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Wednesday night in the Qala-i-Wazir area on the outskirts of Pul-i-Alam, the provincial police chief said.

Brig. Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rogh Lewanai told Pajhwok Afghan News the purpose of the raid remained unclear. He said the detainees had been after being arrested a month ago. 

The ISAF confirmed the operation, saying that the soldiers targeted target a Haqqani network leader. However, it gave no further details.

Elsewhere in the province a police officer was injured in a remote-controlled bomb explosion in the Charkh district, the police chief said.

The explosion took place in the Khwaja Ismailkhel area when a police vehicle was passing the road to the provincial capital, he said.

–Abdul Maqsud Azizi

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 ZABUL: A man was killed by militants on the charge of helping the government and foreign forces in the Shah Joi district of southern Zabul province, district chief Muhammad Siddique said.

Two cyclists shot dead Abdur Rehman, near a mosque in the Chena area on Wednesday evening. According to the district chief, police have started search operation but no arrest has been made so far.

–Nasim Hotak

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ZABUL: Four suspected militants were detained during an operation by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the southern province of Zabul, officials said on Thursday.

The arrests came during a predawn raid on a house in the Zozgari area on the outskirts of Qalat, the capital of the province, Zabul police chief, Brig. Gen. Fazal Ahmad Sherzad, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Foreign soldiers raided the house of Haji Ghani at 11pm, a resident of the area, Zahir Shah, said. Five people were detained and a motorcycle burnt by the NATO-led troops, he added.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, claimed the fighters inflicted casualties on foreign troops as a result of a roadside bomb attack in the Maryan area of Mezan, a claim rejected by Gen. Sherzad.

–Nasim Hotak

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