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Afghanistan

Violence Erupts In Balkh Over Appointment Of New Police Chief

2019-03-15

[ToloNews] Gunfire and widespread shooting were heard in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Thursday close to police headquarters and the roads nearby were closed to traffic as armed forces loyal to former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor are resisting the appointment of new police chief for the northern province. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that Gen. Abdul Raqib Mubarez will replace incumbent police commander Gen. Ikramuddin Sami, saying security situation has drastically worsened in Sholgarah, Balkh and Chimtal districts of the province. "At least 25 illegal gunnies were locked away ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... by the police after opening fire on the police headquarters and the security forces, one security force member was maimed in the firing" said Nusrat Rahimi, acting MoI front man. "Security situation is totally under the control of the security forces inside the police headquarters and all over Mazar-e-Sharif city," added Rahimi. Balkh police have confirmed that Mubarez arrived in Mazar-e-Sharif on Wednesday who was accompanied by a delegation of the Ministry of Interior. Meanwhile, ...back at the chili cook-off, Chuck and Manuel's rivalry was entering a new and more dangerous phase... Atta Mohammad Noor, the Chief Executive of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... Afghanistan who also served as Balkh governor has said that the new appointment violates the agreement he had reached with President Ashraf Ghani ...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. 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. .. last year. Noor has called on the people in the province not to go to their works and shut their businesses in protest to the controversial appointment. But residents in Mazar-e-Sharif have expressed concerns over violence. Reports, meanwhile, indicate that special units of Afghan National Police (ANP) were deployed in key areas of the province to avoid a possible security threat on eve of the appointment of new commander. Local officials in Balkh so far have not given further details about the issue. According to Munir Ahmad Farhad, a front man to Balkh governor, discussion is underway between tribal elders, MPs, members of Balkh provincial council and government representative to resolve the issue. Some residents have said that security situation deteriorated in the province in recent months and that if the reshuffling lead to stability they will welcome such a move. This comes at a time that the 209 Shaheen Army Corps in a statement said that the army is on red alert to ensure security and safety of the people’s life and property.

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Afghanistan

5 Taliban smoked in Baghlan

2018-01-17

At least five Taliban insurgents were killed in ongoing operations in northern Baghlan province on Monday, local officials confirmed Tuesday. In addition, seven other insurgents were wounded. The “Alburz 22” operation was launched on Monday in Baba Nazar and Khalazi area of Dand-e-Shahabuddin area of Pul-e-Khumri city, capital of Baghlan, to clear the area of insurgents, provincial police chief Ikramuddin Sare said. “Jalal who is also known as Khaternak and Juma Gul, the two-key members of the Taliban are also among the dead,” he said. However, he did not provide further details about the operation.

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Afghanistan

Ghani Appoints New Police Chiefs for Five Provinces

2015-10-14

[Tolo News] President Ashraf Ghani ...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. 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. .. on Monday appointed new police chiefs for Sar-e-Pul, Laghman, Ghazni, Badghis and Nuristan provinces. Abdul Baqizoye has been appointed as the police chief of northern Sar-e-Pul, Mateullah Safi for eastern Laghan, Aminullah Amarkhel, for central Ghazni, Abdul Raouf Taj, for western Badghis and Ikramuddin for eastern Nuristan province, the Presidential Palace said in a statement. The statement said that Ghani has "met the new police chiefs at the Presidential Palace and discussed their responsibilities." This comes a day after Ghani discussed the security situation of southeastern provinces with Tandar 203 Corps Commander Lt. General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali via a video teleconference from Tawhid Center in the Presidential Palace. In the video conference, the governors of Paktia, Paktika ...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo... , Khost, Pashtun-infested Logar, Ghazni, Wardak and Bamiyan ...a place in Afghanistan that used to have some historically interesting statues of the Buddha carved into a mountainside. Then the holy men showed up and now all they have is some big holes... provinces briefed the president on governance and security situation in their respective provinces, the Presidential Palace reported. "After listening to their briefings, the president directed the Director General of Independent Directorate of Local Governance to apply the standards for transparency in appointments of civilian officials," the Presidential Palace said in a separate statement. Ghani said that "nobody is allowed to meddle in the security sector's affairs and appointments. He added that the National Security and Defense Forces have thwarted the enemy's plans and attacks while defending the country and people with full courage and bravery." He said the presence and role of the local police was crucial in ensuring security in the southeastern zone, and directed the governors to focus fundamental attention on the recruitment process for further strengthening of the National Army and National Police.

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India-Pakistan

Jirga meets Mehsud Taliban to negotiate peace agreement

2014-11-03

[NATION.PK] A tribal jirga representing Mehsud rustics met the Mehsud Taliban chief Khan Said alias Sajna and other commanders on today to negotiate for peace agreement between government and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). According to reports an 11-member jirga which was announced a few days ago in Tank has started efforts for peaceful settlement of conflict between the government and the TTP. The jirga held an initial meeting with the Mehsud Taliban and would put forth their suggestions to the official authorities. Headed by Ikramuddin, father-in-law of the slain TTP founder and chief Baitullah Mehsud, the jirga comprised ten other key Mehsud tribal elders. Sources said the jirga had been empowered to hold talks with all Mehsud factions, including the groups of Khan Said and Shehryar. It will discuss with two little known factions - Shamim group and Hazratullah group also known as Toora Shpa (Black Night) - the matter of a peace agreement. The formation of the Mehsud jirga is part of the government's reconciliatory policy towards the Taliban, particularly Mehsud factions. The jirga had a one-point agenda of persuading the Mehsud Taliban to reach an accord with the government. They said three secret meetings had been held by the Mehsud tribal jirga with the political agent of Wazoo and they agreed to facilitate talks between Mehsud Taliban and the government.

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Afghanistan

50 Policemen Fired in Herat, Western Afghanistan

2010-07-31

[Tolo News] Nearly, 50 Afghan policemen accused of bribery and misuse of their posts were sacked in Herat, a Western Afghan province Provincial police officials in western Afghanistan said that these policemen were taking money from drivers on Herat-Kandahar high way. A Police Chief in western Afghanistan said that the policemen misused their positions, sought money from drivers using the highway. "Four police checkpoints were creating problems for people on the way, and passengers had also complained against them. Today we sacked a total number of 50 policemen from these checkpoints," Deputy Police Chief in western Afghanistan, Ikramuddin told TOLOnews. Meanwhile, Afghan police forces have always been criticised by the international community as corrupt and undisciplined.

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Afghanistan

Rockets Hit US Consulate Site in Afghan West

2010-01-10

[Quqnoos] Four rockets were fired at a building leased as the site of a future US consulate in Herat city, police said. The rockets hit the building, a former hotel, shattering windows, said Gen Ikramuddin Yawar, the regional Police Chief in western Afghansitan. Nobody was hurt, but police later fired guns in the air to disperse crowds, he said. The United States government acquired the building in 2009 for a consulate in the city, one of at least two it plans to open outside the capital Kabul as part of a "civilian surge" to increase its diplomatic presence. It has not yet stationed diplomats at the site. Herat, near the Iranian border, is a comparatively prosperous city that has seen little violence although militants operate in surrounding rural districts. No groups, including the Taliban have made an immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket attacks.

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Afghanistan

11 Taliban Militants Killed in Afghan Clash

2010-01-01

[Quqnoos] At least 11 Taliban militants were killed Wednesday in a clash between insurgents and foreign troops in western Afghanistan, an official said The gun-battle was erupted after the Taliban militants ambushed the Afghan Army, police and NATO-led forces in the Koshk-e Kohna district in Herat Province, said Ikramuddin Yawar, the regional Police Chief. A local Taliban commander, Mohammad Baqi, was also among the dead, Mr Yawar added. Three other militants were arrested by the joint forces, he further said. No civilian causalities were reported in the fire fight. However he did not confirm if there was any causality on troops.

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Afghanistan

'Bits of burka' found at bomb site

2009-09-19

TWO children were killed when a suicide attacker believed to have been a woman blew herself up in a crowded area of western Herat city this morning, a senior police official said. A 10-year-old boy and a girl aged seven were killed in the attack. Another young girl, a woman and an elderly man were wounded in the attack, said Ikramuddin Yarwar, police commander in western Afghanistan. He said pieces of blue cloth that looked like they had been part of a burka, the all-covering article of clothing worn by many Afghan women, had been scattered around the site of the blast. "Some pieces of burka were seen at the site, so we are investigating if the attack was committed by a woman," he said.

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India-Pakistan

New TTP kingpin Waliur Rahman studied in Faisalabad Madrassa

2009-08-28

[The News (Pak) Top Stories] Maulana Waliur Rahman, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander, who has emerged as the pivotal figure in the banned organization following the death of Baitullah Mahsud, is a 35-year old cleric who studied at a madrassa in Faisalabad. Taliban sources said Waliur Rahman graduated from the Jamia Islamia Imdadia, Faisalabad in 1994. He had studied at local madrassas in his native South Waziristan before seeking admission in the seminary in Faisalabad. Subsequently, he taught for about seven years in a madrassa in Karama in South Waziristan. Some years ago he joined the Taliban movement and started enjoying Baitullah Mahsud's trust. In due course of time he was entrusted responsibility to look after the financial matters of the TTP. "Baitullah trusted him in money matters. He became a close aide to the TTP leader even though his designation was that of a deputy to Baitullah in charge of the organization's finances," said a knowledgeable Mahsud political activist, who requested anonymity. According to Taliban sources, Waliur Rahman's brother Qareebur Rahman was killed when the militants stormed the military fort at Saplatoi in South Waziristan sometime back. The paramilitary Frontier Corps resisted the attack and Qareebur Rahman, along with a number of militants and soldiers, was killed in the fighting. Waliur Rahman's father Asmatullah reportedly suffered heart attack and died when he was informed about his son's death.At one stage in his life and before joining the Taliban militants, Waliur Rahman was associated with Maulana Fazlur Rahman's Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and pursued peaceful politics. He attended the Deoband conference organized by the JUI-F at Taru Jabba near Peshawar on the Grand Trunk Road some years ago.Waliur Rahman belongs to the Malkhel clan of the Manzai sub-tribe of the Mahsuds. He isn't a cousin of Baitullah as wrongly reported in a section of the media. In fact, he and Baitullah belonged to different sections of the Mahsud tribe. Baitullah was from the Shabikhel clan of the Mahsud tribe.Following Baitullah's death in the US drone attack on the night of August 5 on his father-in-law Ikramuddin's house in Zangara village in South Waziristan, Waliur Rahman emerged as a key leader in the TTP. He holds the TTP purse and was privy to Baitullah's secrets. Waliur Rahman was one of the main contenders for Baitullah's job as the TTP head. Tribal sources said his appointment as the TTP head for South Waziristan made him the pivotal figure in the organization. South Waziristan is the TTP headquarters and its major stronghold and any Taliban commander heading the chapter there would control all its fighters and resources. Hakimullah Mahsud no doubt was chosen as the TTP's central head but he would need Waliur Rahman's support and blessings to effectively run the organization that has been weakened by Baitullah's death and the loss of certain other key commanders and bases due to military operations by Pakistan's armed forces. It would be an even bigger challenge to keep the TTP intact in the absence of the powerful figure of Baitullah.

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India-Pakistan

Mehsud's father-in-law rubbed out by Taliban: Malik

2009-08-24

[The News (Pak) Top Stories] Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that the Taliban have killed Baitullah Mehsud's father-in-law and his other family members on spying charges. Talking to the BBC Urdu Service, Rehman Malik said the Taliban had killed Baitullah Mehsud's father-in-law Ikramuddin, his son Ziauddin, brother Saeedullah and nephew Iqbal Mehsud on charges of spying for the US forces in Afghanistan. Malik said independent and Taliban sources had not yet confirmed the death of Baitullah Mehsud's father-in-law. "I got this information from those sources who had given me the information about Baitullah's death," he said. He claimed it was confirmed that Baitullah Mehsud had been killed. However, he said, it might be a part of the government's strategy not to confirm 100% death of Baitullah Mehsud. Maulana Ikramuddin was considered as the right hand of Baitullah and had been trying to broker a peace deal between his son-in-law and the top security officials, according to sources. He said the government had not accepted ceasefire offer of the Taliban in North Waziristan Agency. He said in past, the Taliban had violated peace accords with the government. He said suicide bombers had planned to attack the Parliament House. He said the operation against the militants would continue even in the holy month of Ramazan. with CNN, the interior minister said that the security forces would continue their offensive against the Taliban militants during Ramazan. Malik said the security forces have arrested three men wearing suicide vests, who were planning to attack the Parliament, an intelligence agency and other public buildings. The minister did not specify where or when the men were caught, except to say it was within the last four weeks. The militants have said they would stop fighting during the month of Ramazan. Malik, however, said the promise was not to be trusted. "We are not interested in a ceasefire," Malik said. "They haven't kept their commitment in the past. We will continue targeted actions against the Taliban," he added. Our Peshawar Bureau adds: Taliban sources, however, were neither denying nor confirming reports about killing of Mahsud's relatives. Some of these sources were terming it as part of the government's disinformation campaign. A senior government official, who requested anonymity, said there were credible reports that Ikramuddin, his son Ziauddin, his brother Saeedullah and nephew Iqbal Mahsud were executed Sunday afternoon along with three or four other male family members. He said first Ikramuddin was taken into custody soon after the drone attack and then his other close relatives were apprehended. The Taliban militants, he argued, were suspicious as to why Ikramuddin and his close family members survived the missile strike that struck his house and killed Baitullah and his second wife, whom he had married last October. The claim couldn't be confirmed from independent sources. There was no way to find out if Ikramuddin and seven other members of his family had been killed by the Taliban militants loyal to Baitullah. Some tribesmen doubted the story of Ikramuddin's involvement in the conspiracy to kill Baitullah as he would not sacrifice his own daughter by spying on the TTP chief and facilitating the US drone attack on his own house in Zangara village in South Waziristan Agency.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban interrogate Mehsud family

2009-08-23

[Dawn] Pakistani Taliban have detained four relatives of their leader Baitullah Mehsud, believed to have been killed this month in a US missile strike, on suspicion of tipping off authorities about his whereabouts, security officials said. Goddamn! How did that get out? I thought it was a closely guarded secret! Pakistani and US officials are almost certain that Mehsud, head of the Pakistani Taliban, was killed when a missile fired by a US pilotless drone aircraft hit his father-in-law's house in South Waziristan on the Afghan border on August 5. Mehsud's aides have denied his death. Some of them have, anyway, some of the time. But Pakistan and US officials have said the militants appeared to be in disarray after Mehsud's death, with reports of infighting between factions vying to take command. A senior intelligence official said Mehsud's father-in-law, Ikramuddin Mehsud, his son, one of his brothers and a nephew had been detained by the Taliban on suspicion that they had passed on information about Mehsud's whereabouts. 'They were arrested two days ago and are being interrogated by the Taliban in Sararogha,' on of the intelligence agency officials, who declined to be identified, said on Saturday, referring to a Mehsud stronghold in South Waziristan. Another intelligence official and an influential ethnic Pashtun tribal elder in the region also said the family members had been detained. Mehsud's second wife, who was Ikramuddin's daughter, and some of his bodyguards were killed in the missile strike. Mehsud had been suffering from a stomach ailment and was lying on a cot on the flat roof of the house while his wife was sitting beside him when the missile struck shortly after midnight, the security officials and tribal elder said. Numerous people have been detained by the Taliban, and many of them executed, on suspicion of spying since the United States intensified its drone attacks last year. Driver killed Earlier, Ikramuddin's brother, Saadullah Mehsud, a paramedic who lived nearby, had been called to provide medical treatment for Mehsud's stomach problem. The missile hit the house shortly after Saadullah had left, arousing Taliban suspicion that he had passed on information, the second intelligence official said. Saadullah was among those detained. The tribal elder said the militants had shot dead Mehsud's driver, Mohammad Qasim, who was also known as Kashif, shortly after the missile strike, on suspicion of spying. While Mehsud's aides deny their leader is dead, Pakistani and US officials say the Taliban have shown no evidence that he is alive. Jockeying for power among his commanders has only reinforced the belief that he is dead. Mehsud's deputy, Faqir Mohammad, this week announced that he was temporarily taking over the command of the Pakistani Taliban alliance of factions because Mehsud was sick and lying low. US President Barack Obama said on Thursday 'we took out' Mehsud, who was blamed for a wave of bombings in Pakistan, including the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Analysts say the Taliban's reluctance to admit Mehsud's death could be a tactic aimed at averting discord before the leadership question is settled.

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India-Pakistan

Drone hits Mehsud's stronghold again

2009-08-13

More detail on Tuesday's dronezap... Fourteen people, all of them militants, were killed and seven others injured in another attack by a CIA-operated spy plane at Kaniguram town in Ladha subdivision of South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Tuesday. Tribal sources told The News that the US drone fired three missiles at a house, which the militants had occupied from a local influential trader and turned it into their 'Markaz' or headquarters. The fortress-like house was owned by Zangi Khan Burki. Like several other tribesmen, Zangi Khan and his family had left their house and shifted to Karachi after tribal and foreign militants took over the picturesque Kaniguram town. A tribesman living in Kaniguram travelled to distant Razmak town in North Waziristan Agency to inform The News about the drone attack and casualties suffered by the militants. Requesting anonymity, the tribesman said dozens of armed militants immediately cordoned off the house and retrieved 14 bodies of their slain colleagues from the rubble of the destroyed building. He said most of the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition. The tribesman said he had seen several foreign militants, including Arabs and Uzbeks, visiting the house frequently. He, however, did not know whether foreigners were present there during the missile attack. He said another house owned by the agency councilor, Arif Zaman, located near the alleged headquarters of the Taliban, was also damaged in the attack.Sources close to the Baitullah Mehsud-led Taliban told The News that all those killed in the attack were local tribal militants. They also claimed that the victims of the drone attack included women and children. However, the tribesman from Kaniguram did not agree to the Taliban claims. He said very few tribal families now remained after the launching of the military operation against Baitullah and his men on June 14 and taking over of the 'ghost' town by the Taliban militants.The tribesman said the remaining families had also left their homes for Tank and Dera Ismail Khan due to fears of drone attacks as, he added, the Taliban militants had occupied the houses of local people in the town while spy planes were now continuously flying over the area. It's working nicely, then. The Taliban are losing their popularity, which makes them ever so much easier to find and kill. "Majority of the people were coming to Kaniguram in summer but all this became history when the residents fled their homes. The streets are now being patrolled by the Taliban fighters," said the worried resident of Kaniguram. The newly-appointed spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Azam Tariq, called media persons and claimed that only six people, including women and children, had been killed in the attack by the US spy plane.It was the second attack after August 5 in which the drone fired two missiles at the house of Malik Ikramuddin, the father-in-law of Baitullah Mehsud.

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