Gunmen extort locals’ livestock in Kunduz

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Some residents of northwestern Kunduz on Thursday alleged that gunmen were extorting livestock from people almost on daily basis and the government was unable to take action against bandits.

A large number of people held a gathering in front of governor’s house to demand the government should adopt serious measures to help stop the illegal practice. Locals said gunmen the other day took away 20 sheep with them from a herd of a local person.

Painda Mohammad, a livestock owner, told Pajhwok Afghan News most of the people in Kunduz brought their herd to meadow in Shiwa district of neighboring northern Badakhshan province.

He complained some gunmen have recently forced their way into the desert and took a number of sheep with them.

“We brought our cattle to Shiwa district of Badakhshan because it has pasture for feeding animals. When gunmen approached us and forcibly taken 20 of our sheep with them,” Painda added.

The demonstrators accused Badakhshan officials of in connivance with the gunmen and said that Shiwa deserts were a shared pasture for northern regions and no one could use it for personal use.

Kunduz Governor Ghulam Sakhi Baghlani said he had contacted Badakhshan governor for addressing the problem. Ahmad Navid Frotan, Badakhshan governor’s spokesman, said he did not receive any complain from the livestock owners. But pledged he would issue directives to investigate the problem.

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