| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan |
| 10 Afghan Districts Under Serious Threat |
| 2016-08-29 |
| Security sources report that about 10 districts in the country are under serious threat and that they are afraid these districts could fall to the Taliban. This is in addition to 10 other districts already controlled by the insurgent group. A security source told TOLO News that Sancharak district in Sar-e-Pul, Gezab in Uruzgan, Hesarak in Nangarhar, and a number of other districts are seriously threatened by insurgents. Security departments have said the National Unity Government leaders (NUG) share the same vision in terms of cracking down on terrorists, but that powerful groups interfere in appointing security officials. Meanwhile, military analysts have said that weaknesses within the security forces and the interference in appointing military officials are the main reasons for the Afghan National Army losing districts to insurgents. In the past two years of the NUG, control of many districts has flip-flopped between security forces and insurgents. In addition, the geographical move of battles from the south to the north has put Dasht-e-Archi, Qala-e-Zal, Chahar Dara and Khanabad districts in Kunduz; Darqad and Khwaja Ghar districts in Takhar, Baharak district in Badakhshan, Qush Tepa district in Jawzjan, Qaisar district in Faryab, Nawa and Sangin districts in Helmand and many others at risk – some of which have almost fallen to the Taliban. Currently 10 districts are under Taliban control – with some residents having had to live under insurgent rule for months. In the meantime, parliament members have said corruption within the NUG has marginalized military activities and that now important districts are under threat. Mohammad Asif Sediqi, a senator said: "Powerful men interfere in appointing security officials. Thus they cannot manage the war and government loses districts to Taliban." Currently insurgents are trying to cut off supply routes for security forces in Sancharak, Khwaja Ghar, Hesarak, Kot, Waygal in Nuristan, Giro in Ghazni, Khashrod in Nimroz, Pasaband in Ghor and Gezab district in Uruzgan. Along with these problems, security departments are reportedly worried about the interference by powerful groups in appointing security officials. Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said: "It is important that security officials, especially commanders must be appointed by security departments. If non-military individuals interfere in the process, then we would have commanders with poor management skills who cannot carry out their responsibilities properly." It has also been reported that in a number of districts, government officials only control their actual building and the rest of the district is under Taliban control. However the spokesman for the independent local government office said government services are ongoing in all districts of the country. Munira Yosuf Zada, spokesperson for the office of Independent Local Governments said: "None of our district' have closed completely. In every district there is a district chief offering services to the people. If a district shuts down completely, the governor offers the services in a neighboring district." |
| Posted by:badanov |