Foreign rebels harassing Kunduz residents

KUNDUZ CITY (PAN): More than 100 militants, including Chechens and Uzbeks, have recently entered the northern province of Kunduz, asking residents for Ushr (10 percent of agricultural produce payable by Muslims), an official said on Sunday.

Changing their get-up, clad in trousers and sporting no beards, more than 100 fighters have sneaked from Pakistan to conduct disruptive activities in Dasht-i-Archi district, the town’s administrative head claimed.

Sheikh Sadruddin Saadi, who assigned several reasons for increasing insurgent activities in the district, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “Many of the Taliban have Afghan Local Police (ALP) and Afghan National Army (ANA) uniforms.”

Concern among people about the post-2014 situation, the elections process and the wheat harvest seasons were among the principal factors fuelling guerrilla activities, he explained.

Some of the fighters would return to Pakistan after the wheat harvest season was over, but others might stay in the restive district, the official continued.

If the situation persisted, Saadi warned, the area could fall to the Taliban and in that case the government would be unable to deliver education services to the people.

Gradually, the militants would extend their operations to other parts of the province, residents feared. “We ask the government to launch an offensive against the insurgents before it is too late,” said a tribal elder, Haji Noor Khan.

He alleged: “The have forced me into paying Ushr on the agricultural produce from 2.5 acres of land. They have warned of snatching agricultural land from those who refuse to pay Ushr.”

Col. Ibadullah Talwar, the deputy police chief for Kunduz, said security personnel were ready to launch operation against the insurgents and eliminate the threat.

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