Fears Rise in Afghanistan over Fall of Farah to Taliban

TEHRAN (defapress) – As the Taliban militants have intensified military activities in Afghanistan’s western province of Farah over the past month, local officials warn against a looming collapse of the provincial capital to insurgents.

News ID: 68178

Date: 20 January 2018 - 14:35

The militants have launched attacks on several police stations in the city of Farah in the past week, killing and injuring a number of government forces.

With the police casualties in clashes with the Taliban rising in Farah, officials say the insurgent group has infiltrated into the city and the security forces have failed to drive them back.

On January 14, the Taliban killed seven police forces and injured three others in attacks on security check posts on the outskirts of Farah, according to local sources.

Farah local officials have sharply criticized the security organizations for what they call poor war management in the province.

TOLOnews quoted deputy governor of Farah, Mohammad Younus Rasuli, as deploring the Kabul government for handling the war on militants, saying, “Currently security forces have not made any move to target the insurgents and our defensive status is also incorrect. In the last week only, over 50 security force members have been killed.”

“Last year the Taliban was outside Farah city, but now they entered the city and the war is ongoing inside the city,” member of Farah provincial council Jamila Amini said.

“Eighty percent of Farah is under Taliban control and the remaining 20 percent is also in a fragile state and this has caused serious concerns among the people,” Abdul Sattar Hussaini, a resident of Farah, was quoted as saying by TOLO.

The Taliban, who ruled the country before being ousted by a US-led invasion in late 2001, have renewed armed insurgency, launching attacks on Afghan military forces.

They usually intensify attacks in spring and summer, known as the fighting season in the war-torn country.