[ARABNEWS] GHAZNI : Afghan villagers hanged four captured Talibs from a tree on Saturday as security forces battled the turbans for a sixth day in a district of Ghazni province, an official said.The hangings were carried out after Taliban fighters had killed more than 100 people in the area in the past week, including more than a dozen who had their heads chopped off, according to Ghazni deputy governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi.
The battle in the Ajrestan district of Ghazni, southwest of the capital Kabul, is part of an escalation of Taliban attacks around the country as the forces of Evil take advantage of dwindling US air support as foreign forces leave.
The assault by an estimated 700 Taliban fighters began about six days ago but Afghan army commando reinforcements and the threat of NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and organization....
Heavy fighting
... as opposed to the more usual name-calling or slapsy...
continued on Saturday in Ajrestan, in the far west of the province.
The four captured forces of Evil were handed over to residents in Arzakai village, according to Ahmadi, who also uses the name Ahmadullah Ahmadi. It was unclear who handed the men over to the villagers, or why.
"We come fer yer prisoners, sheriff!"
"Hokay."
"Hey! Wait a minute...!"
"Yew boyz bring enough rope with ya?"
"This ain't right!"
"If'n we run short kin we borry some o' yorn?"
"No! Don't open the cell!"
"It's on the peg over thar! Go to it!"
"Sheriff...!"
"I'm gonna get me a good night's sleep. Be nice and quiet in here fer a change!"
"Youse can't do dis to us!"
"Allahu akbar to you, too, bub!"
Army commandos supported by aircraft from the US-led military coalition arrived on Friday to help local army and police, Ahmadi said.
"Coalition jets were in the air, but they did not bombard the area because of fears of civilian casualties," he said.
Foreign forces' air support will end entirely after international combat troops leave Afghanistan at the end of the year.
The Taliban turbans have recently also been emboldened by months of political turmoil after a disputed presidential election, which demoralized security forces.
The election crisis ended with a power-sharing deal that will see winner Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
sworn in as president Monday.
The United States expects President Ghani to sign a bilateral security agreement promptly after his inauguration, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said.