Faryab residents on Friday said they are concerned about increasing insecurity in the northern province as many districts have witnessed clashes over the last week and that the fighting will intensify on the arrival of the spring season.
Faryab police said seven out of 14 districts of the province have witnessed deadly clashes between the security forces and the Taliban over the last week.
“People are concerned because the spring season is near and they fear that the clashes will intensify, more people will displace and more people are killed,” said Asadullah Jamali, a resident of Faryab.
“Many residents have shifted to the center of the province from other districts, and they are in a bad situation,” Faryab resident Rauf Andar said.
A member of the provincial council in Faryab, Mohammad Saeedi, said that hundreds of families have been displaced in the province following the classes.
“The big problem is that the government takes action after an incident happens,” Saeedi said. “Sometimes they have information about the Taliban’s intention to launch an attack, but they wait and watch so that something happens and then they will take.”
Qaisar, Almar, Khwaja Sabz Posh, Shirin Tagab, Dawlat Abad, Pashtun Kot and Gerziwan districts have witnessed attacks by the Taliban on security forces over the last week. Police said casualties were inflicted on both sides.
“At least 17 armed Taliban have been killed in the last week and 24 others were wounded. Many of their group leaders are among those killed and wounded,” Faryab police spokesman Abdul Karim Yurish said.
He said that five security force members were killed and seven more were wounded in the clashes.
