Women among 8 killed in Herat operation

HERAT (PAN-led forces in western Herat province, a military official said on Thursday.

The insurgents were killed and two Kalashnikovs, a walkie-talkie and13 motorcycles were recovered by the Afghan National Army (ANA) commandoes in Shindand district.

Col. Najibullah Najibi, a spokesman for the 207th Zafar Military Corps, confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News the overnight offensive, but said nothing about civilian casualties.

However, a security official said on condition of anonymity that two women were also killed during the clash between security personnel and fighters in the Zer Koh area of Shindad district.

On the other hand, provincial council member Tor Mohammad Zarifi claimed three women were killed and two children injured during the operation by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the district.

The village remained besieged by the foreign troops on Thursday morning, leaving residents unable to come out of their houses to bury the dead, he added.

Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesman claimed the guerrillas had killed three foreign soldiers during the clash in the Zer Koh village of the district.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi also acknowledged the loss of two fighters and injuries to a third during an ISAF airstrike. A woman was also killed in the raid, he concluded.

But the NATO-led force denied conducting any operation in Shindand last night.

Separately, four Taliban commanders — Mullah Abdul Rahim, Mohammad Qasim, Mullah Kamal and Mullah Mahmud — were detained in the same district.

Provincial police spokesman Col. Noor Khan Nekzad accused the commanders of spreading the insurgency in Shindand and Khak-i-Safid district of Farah province.

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