Residents of eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday voiced their frustration with what they called increasing insecurity.
Mentioning recent attacks in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, the residents said such incidents resulted from negligence of security officials.
Gunmen stormed a midwife training center in Jalalabad on Saturday, fighting security forces for several hours and killing three staff.
On the other hand, the provincial council office said around 600 civilians suffered casualties in attacks over the past few months.
Dr. Anwar Biag, who lost thousands of US dollars after his house caught fire during the brazen attack on the midwife training center, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the incident had been a result of security forces’ negligence.
He said his home was near the midwife training center and his $30,000 and some household items were reduced to ashes after his house caught fire.
“But thanks to Almighty Allah no one in my family got hurt in the incident.”
Another resident of the same area, Zuhiar, told Pajhwok that no one felt secure in Jalalabad as anytime a disaster was feared.
He said illegal armed men used to roam free in the city while security forces were notorious for negligence in duty — major reasons behind insecure.
“If security forces pay attention to their duty at check-posts, then there would be no security issue across the province.”
A number of other residents expressed similar views and urged the government to pay strong attention to the security issue.
Meanwhile, deputy provincial council head Obaidullah Shinwari told Pajhwok that more than 600 people had suffered causalities in insurgent attacks in the province during the past few months.
He also accused security forces of failing to prevent such attacks and warned the situation could further worsen if the central government did not pay attention.
He said currently all education centers, markets and universities were closed and hospitals also faced security threats. “Everyone thinks it is his last moment in life.”
However, police chief Brig. Gen. Ghulam Sanai Stanikzai linked the increasing insecurity in Jalalabad to suppressing militants in districts.
He said insecurity increased in the city after Daesh rebels were targeted in Haska Meena and Taliban in Bati Kot districts.
He confirmed the presence of Daesh and Taliban insurgents in districts but claimed over 150 insurgents were eliminated in the past 15 days.
