The Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) on Sunday raised concerns that over 30 percent of all districts in the country are under serious threat by insurgent groups.
The IDLG said that of the 384 districts in the country – including 15 newly created and non-permanent districts – 116 are under threat.
They said at least 10 of these districts are out of government’s control.
According to the IDLG, the districts under Taliban control are as follows: Disho, Baghran, Musa Qala and Nawzad in Helmand as well as Khak Afghan district in Zabul, Neka in Paktika, Nawa in Ghazni, Warduj and Yamgan in Badakhshan and Kohistanat district in Sar-e-Pul.
“We do not have the record of services in 10 districts… I can say that governance is not practiced in these districts,” said IDLG spokesman Munira Yusufzada.
In addition to the 116 districts facing serious threats, 91 other districts are facing “medium” security threats.
Meanwhile, of Kunduz’s nine districts, six, Dasht-e-Archi, Qala-e-Zal, Chahardara, Gortepa, Aqtash and Kulbad districts, are reportedly largely controlled by the Taliban.
“Nearly 98 percent of six of the nine districts in Kunduz are under control of the Taliban – including their government offices,” said Nazari Turkman, an MP from Kunduz.
“Lack of plans by government gives a big hand to the Taliban and other insurgent groups [to destabilize the country],” said university lecturer Baz Mohammad Anwari.
Government is however taking action on a number of fronts and according to reports, ground forces in a number of areas are now being backed by air support from both the Afghan Air Force and foreign troops.
“They [militants] have suffered casualties in Khanashin district in Helmand and they have also suffered heavy losses in Qoshtepa district in Jawzjan,” said defense ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri.
But despite the IDLG’s claims that 10 districts are controlled by the Taliban, recent findings by the Long War Journal reveal that 20 districts are in fact under the Taliban’s control and that in 35 other districts, only the centers are controlled by government while other parts are under the control of the Taliban.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/26518-over-30-of-districts-under-serious-threat-idlg
Comments are closed.