Officials confer on security challenges

KHOST CITY (PAN): Senior civilian and security officials on Sunday attended a day-long conference discussing how to overcome security challenges in southeastern Khost province.

In his address, Governor Abul Jabbar Naeemi told participants his administration’s main goal was to deal effectively with security challenges and other problems.

He said the overall security situation in Khost had improved, but some terror incidents continued to occur in the provincial capital, Khost City, and adjacent areas.

The governor claimed coordination among security organs had lately improved amid an increase in their combat ability.

Naeemi acknowledged insecurity had been behind the closure of some government entities in troubled districts, but said serious measures were being taken to enable officials to resume duty.

The new police chief, Col. Faizullah Ghairat, said police could not prevent the entry of bomb-borne vehicles through smuggling routes to Khost, calling it a major challenge facing the force.

He said Afghan National Police (ANP) personnel had been moved to border districts to assist border police in keeping an eye on smuggling routes, but the job seemed to be beyond their ability.

Without elaborating, Col. Ghairat said they were working on a special plan aimed at improving the security situation in the region.

Afghan National Army (ANA)’s first battalion acting commander in Khost, Mohammad Zaman, said the troops had improved with regard to their combat ability and planned and conducted all operations on their own.

He continued American forces in Khost and Paktia had transferred more than 10 military bases to Afghan forces, which had been able to prove their worth in maintaining security.

Security Forces Coordination Centre chief in Khost Brig. Ghazi Mir Zadran said cooperation among security organs had improved but not the required level.

He said militants involved in planting landmines, armed, suicide and group attacks had been able to easily operate during night time.

Ghazi said increased coordination among forces was crucial to doing away with such groups.

Other speakers also discussed security challenges and floated suggestions how to overcome them.

fbr/ma

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