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Locals Hit The Hardest Over Helmand-Kandahar Road Closure
The closure of Helmand-Kandahar Highway for the past four days - due to the presence of Taliban in parts of Helmand province – has created numerous challenges for battle-weary residents.A number of motorists said that sometimes they come under attack by the Taliban when they try to use the road. "We wanted to travel to Grishk district [in Helmand] when Taliban stopped our car and told us to go back. They opened fire on our vehicle," said Samiullah, a driver. Meanwhile, stranded bus passengers said they have waited in vain for days for the highway to be reopened. "I am waiting for the reopening of the road for the past two days. I want to meet my family in Kandahar but the road is closed," said Ahmad Shah, a passenger. "I urge government to reopen the highway and address our problems," said Gul Padshah, another resident of Helmand. Helmand Governor Hayatullah Hayat said they will address the problem as soon as possible. "There is no specific problem on the way from Helmand to Kandahar, but Taliban has destroyed a bridge which has closed the highway to traffic. We are trying to address the problem in the near future," he added. This comes after months of clashes between the Taliban and security forces. According to recent reports, the clashes have spread to the outskirts of Lashkargah city, the capital city of the province. Posted by: badanov 2016-08-08 |
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