KABUL – Members of Farah provincial council on Thursday reported that theTaliban are pushing to capture Farah City after a week of clashes withsecurity forces.
They said over a hundred security force members so far have been killed bythe Taliban in the past week in the province.
In reaction to the report, lawmakers in Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga sharplycriticized the Afghan security leaders over what they described as theturbulence in the security sector due to poor war management in volatileregions.
“We expect government to take action soon to tackle the current situationin Farah, otherwise the Taliban will take over Farah province, but keepingin mind that the Taliban has already taken over some areas of Farah,” saidone MP Humaira Ayoubi.
MPs argue that local security leaders in Farah are not capable of leadingthe war against the insurgents. Farah has been facing deadly battles sincethe start of winter.
Reports from the war fronts in the province indicate that the Taliban haskilled and wounded dozens of security force members after taking over theirsecurity check points in the area and that the group’s fighters are stilladvancing towards the provincial capital.
“Currently the security situation in Farah is much worse than any otherregion in the country. Fighting rages only two kilometers from Farah city,every night five to ten security force members are killed and Taliban seizetheir equipment. But the government so far has not done anything to tacklethe issue,” said Khair Mohammad Noorzai, member of Farah provincialcouncil.
Farah residents and local officials have urged government to improve themanagement of the war.
“Taliban have infiltrated some key regions of Farah city, the governmenthas control only on key government compounds while the Taliban have takenover all other areas around Farah,” said one civil society activist inFarah Humayoun Shaheedzada.
Defense Ministry Talks Operation
Amid speculation over the possible collapse of Farah City to the Taliban,Afghan defense ministry officials have said that the army is planning alarge-scale operation aimed at repressing the Taliban insurgents in theregion.
“I want to say with confidence that the Taliban will take the dream oftaking over Farah to their grave. The Taliban do not have the capacity totakeover Farah city,” a deputy defense ministry spokesman MohammadRadmanish said Thursday.
Last year the Taliban managed to reach the entrance points into the city.
But the group this year, by changing its war tactics, has successfullyinflicted a massive casualty toll on the embattled Afghan security forcesin the province .