Rebel group reconciles; bomber held in Balkh

HERAT CITY/MAZAR-I-SHARIF/JALALABAD (Pajhwok): A six-member insurgent group joined the peace process in western Herat province and 43 weapons have been seized in eastern Nangarhar province, officials said.

In northern Balkh province, police said they had detained a would-be suicide bomber with two suicide vests. Police were investigating from the detainee about the second vest.

In Herat, acting governor Syed Fazlullah Wahidi told Pajhwok Afghan News the six-member group, led by Mullah Shah Jehan, joined the peace process and turned in their weapons.

The reconciling insurgents were honoured at a gathering in Herat City. Wahidi urged the former fighters continue living in peace and lead a normal life and avoid returning to their ex-comrades — the Taliban.

Mullah Shah Jehan said Pakistan had been supporting and provoking them into fighting against the Afghan government.

He said they joined the peace process after becoming tired of the fighting. He confessed to their involvement in security incidents in Karkh, Ab Kamar districts of Herat and some districts of Badghis province.

In Nangarhar, 43 weapons were seized from a vehicle by National Directorate of  Security officials in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, an official said.

The governor’s spokesman said the weapons included 37 AK-47 assault rifles and five pistols. The weapons had been skillfully hidden in the car for their supply to insurgents, the official said.

No one could be arrested in connection with the seizure and police were investigating the incident, he said

In northern Balkh province, a suicide bomber was arrested in the capital of northern Balkh province, the provincial police chief said.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Rahman Rahimi told Pajhwok Afghan News two explosives-filled suicide vests were recovered from the detainee currently being interrogated about the second vest.

He said police had received intelligence reports about the entry of a suicide bomber to Mazar-i-Sharif.

Rahimi also said two persons had been arrested trying to smuggle 54 bottles of alcohol this week.

A third person was detained on the charge of stealing motorcycles, the police chief said, accusing the detainee of having stolen a number of bikes.

Rahimi also said 17 weapons, seized during various operations, were on Sunday hand over to the Disarmament of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) programme.

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