Faryab clashes displace hundreds of families

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Nearly 1,000 families fled homes after one civilian was killed and 20 others were wounded during ongoing clashes in the Qaisar district of northwester Faryab province, officials said on Monday.

Launched four days ago, an operation by Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel had so far resulted in several clashes with insurgents, the district chief, Abdul Jamil Sadiqi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Civilians suffered casualties after heavy weapons hit their houses during clashes. He said more than 800 families had moved to Qaisar and Almar district centres and some to Maimana, the provincial capital.

However, provincial council head Syed Abdul Baqi Hashimi put at nearly 1,000 the number of families fleeing homes from Nahrain area of Qaisar. He said the displaced families were in dire need of assistance.

“We left behind all our belongings to save our lives,” one of the displaced persons, Abdul Qudus, said. He moved to the center of Qaisar district along with his eight-member family and currently lived in a house having no roof. Qudus asked the government to help them.

Deputy Governor Abdul Sattar Barez said a joint commission of security organs, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other relevant organizations had been created to assess the condition of the affected families.

He said they had enough aid, which would be distributed to the displaced families after a short survey. ANA officials had previously claimed killing 20 insurgents, including two foreigners, during the ongoing operation in Qaisar.

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