Police arm Greshk residents against rebels

LASHKARGAH (PAN): Police on Sunday said it had delivered weapons to a group spearheading an anti-Taliban uprising in the Nahr-i-Saraj area of Greshk district in southern Helmand province.

The local uprising began last week when the insurgents insulted an area elder, police chief Col. Abdul Nabi Ilham told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Guns and bullets were supplied to the group dominated by youth, he said, stressing the need for deploying the NATO-backed Afghan Local Police (ALP) force to the area.

The police chief claimed families were ready to send their young men for recruitment into the force to protect their areas and keep an eye on the insurgent movement.

Maj. Khadi Khan, the town’s police chief, vowed to fight against the rebels alongside residents.

Safar Mohammad, a member of the uprising, said they wanted to protect their homes and land from miscreants. He added they would not allow the Taliban to insult their elders.

Meanwhile, NATO said the Afghans stood up to the Taliban after fighters began planting improvised explosive devices in their fields, making it impossible for them to harvest their crops.

As the Taliban begin to lose a foothold in the region, Afghan forces have continued to establish a presence in the villages to protect the people, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

As Coalition forces prepare to withdraw combat troops, Afghan security personnel have taken the lead in providing security and stability to the people.

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