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Kandahar-Helmand Highway Reopened
Local officials in Helmand said the first convoy of security forces traveled through Helmand-Kandahar Highway on Monday after it was cleared of mines and insurgents following a large-scale military operation conducted by Afghan troops over the past few weeks.The road has not yet been reopened for civilians, but local officials said it will soon be open to the public. Reports indicate that the highway was closed for traffic for one month due to clashes and the presence of Taliban. Helmand governor Hayatullah Hayat said in a ceremony that parts of the road have been destroyed by the militants. "The military operation continued for three weeks to reopen the highway. We have defused hundreds of mines [planted by insurgents]. The road is not the one you used to travel through; the enemies of this soil have destroyed it," he said. Meanwhile, a number of Helmand residents said acres of agricultural land located along both sides of the highway has been damaged due to the war. "We are faced with a lack of water. Our trees and lands are dry and they need irrigation," said Jan Mohammad, a resident of Helmand. Posted by: badanov 2016-09-06 |
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