Foreign insurgents sneak into Logar

PUL-I-ALAM (PAN, officials and residents alleged on Wednesday.

Up to 600 Arab, Pakistani, Chechen and Uzbek fighters have infiltrated into Azra, Baraki Barak, Charkh and Kharwar districts, the deputy police chief acknowledged.

But Col. Khan Sadiq told Pajhwok Afghan News security forces, including the Afghan Local Police (ALP), were capable of dealing with the insurgent threat.

Barak-i-Barak district chief, Eng. Mohammad Rahim, said about 150 foreign rebels had entered the town. Their sole objective was harassing the people and impeding development projects, he added.

His counterpart from Charkh, Abdul Jalil, also complained of an increasing presence of Pakistani and Arab guerrillas in the area. They were trying to fuel unrest in the district, he said.

Barak-i-Barak resident Hamidullah claimed seeing foreign gunmen, who spoke different languages. The suspects freely moved in villages, he continued.

On April 21, the Taliban seized 10 foreigners, including Turkish engineers, after a NATO-contracted Mi-8 helicopter made an emergency landing in the Mangal Pass area of Azra district.

The chopper was on its way back to Kabul from southeastern Khost province. The Turks were captured along two pilots from Russia and Kyrgyzstan, as well as an Afghan.

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