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Would-be girl suicide bomber surrenders

Would-be girl suicide bomber surrenders

author avatar
28 Dec 2014 - 19:17
Would-be girl suicide bomber surrenders
author avatar
28 Dec 2014 - 19:17

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): A teenage girl, who was allegedly readied by her family and Taliban insurgents for a suicide attack, has surrendered to police in southern Helmand province, officials said on Sunday.

Public Order Police said the 14-year-old, Zarmina, had been brought to Lashkargah from the Nawzad district, where she surrendered.

Zarmina told Pajhwok Afghan News she was a resident of Ormoz area of Nawzad district. She said her father took her to her material uncles’ home in the Jazi area of the district three weeks ago to prepare her for a suicide attack.

She said a local Taliban commander, Mullah Baqi, had asked her father to make his daughter ready for a suicide bombing.

Zarmia said last night when she had to be prepared for the attack, she was sent to the targeted area a day before to observe the location. She availed the opportunity and surrendered herself to police, she said.

Zarmina said his family members and the Taliban had told her they had prepared another girl and a boy for suicide attacks. The couple would attack nearby security posts soon, she had been told.

After she had surrendered, her father and some Taliban men visited the police post to take her back, but she refused to go with them. “I said I would never live with my father anymore.”

She said her father and the Taliban had told her the suicide attack had great reward in the life hereafter.

Zarmina said besides her parents, her siblings included two sisters and five brothers.  She said her father had close ties with the Taliban.

Col. Fazl Hadi, the Public Order Police second battalion commander in Nawzad, told Pajhwok Afghan News local residents had informed them in advance about a possible suicide attack by a girl. He said their effort had been to rescue the girl.

To a question if the girl fled home for some other reasons, the police officer said everyone was allowed to ask her questions.  He said suicide attacks in which children were used had already taken place in the area.

A police official in Lashkargah, Col. Syed Rahman Shaiq, said similar incidents had occurred in the past.

In Zarmina case, he said, her father, maternal uncles and Taliban commanders Mullah Baqi, Mullah Nazar Mohammad, Hijrat and Mullah Norkhi were complicit.

Last year, a 12-year-old girl, who was forced by her brother to carry out a suicide attack on police, had surrendered in the Khanshin district.

Meanwhile, police on Sunday shot dead two persons riding a motorcycle in the Marjah district.

The motorcyclists opened fire at the police and were killed after the police returned fire, the provincial police spokesman said.

Col. Farid Ahmad Obaid said the incident took place in the ninth block area. He said one policeman was injured in the clash.

ma

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