Terrorism

ISIS-Taliban clashes spread to Laghman

By Khalid Zerai

Fighting between "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) and Taliban militants has spread from Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province, to Alingar District, Laghman Province, according to local officials. [Khalid Zerai]

NANGARHAR -- Fighting between "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) and Taliban militants has spread from Khogyani District of Nangarhar Province to Alingar District, Laghman Province, according to local officials.

The fighting between ISIS and the Taliban began in the Konda-Gul area of the Noorlaam Valley November 27, Lt. Col. Sherin Agha Faqiri, spokesman of the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan National Army, told Salaam Times.

"Two Taliban commanders identified as Mubariz and Mehrab were killed in this fighting, but so far there is no news about the casualties suffered by ISIS," he said.

More casualties on both sides are likely to occur, he said

Fighting between Taliban and ISIS militants has displaced more than 9,000 families from Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province. In this picture taken November 28, displaced families stay in makeshift tents. [Khalid Zerai]

Fighting between Taliban and ISIS militants has displaced more than 9,000 families from Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province. In this picture taken November 28, displaced families stay in makeshift tents. [Khalid Zerai]

An Afghan soldier points his rifle towards the hideouts of Taliban militants during a military operation in Alishang District, Laghman Province, January 3. Recent ISIS-Taliban fighting has spread from Nangarhar to Laghman. [Khalid Zerai]

An Afghan soldier points his rifle towards the hideouts of Taliban militants during a military operation in Alishang District, Laghman Province, January 3. Recent ISIS-Taliban fighting has spread from Nangarhar to Laghman. [Khalid Zerai]

Losses to both forces are higher than reported, a Laghman Province official told Salaam Times on condition of anonymity, adding that ISIS and the Taliban are summoning their fighters from other areas to join the escalating battle.

Causing problems for residents

"ISIS is busy gathering its [fighters] from Chapa Dara District of Kunar and from other areas," Faqirullah, a resident of the Noorlaam Valley, told Salaam Times. "On the other side, the Taliban are busy rallying their armed men from other districts of Laghman to beat ISIS."

"Before this, there was no ISIS here, there were only Taliban in the remote areas," he said. "Now both of them came and started fighting inside the villages and neighbourhoods. They are disturbing the public and create problems for us."

"Both the Taliban and ISIS are militant groups, and they harm the public, so we want none of them," Mujib-ur-Rahman, another resident of the area, told Salaam Times.

Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for the Laghman provincial governor, expressed confidence that the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) will retake control of the area quickly.

"Government forces will take advantage of the situation and will demolish both groups," he told Salaam Times.

Fighting continues in Nangarhar

The battles between ISIS and the Taliban in Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province, are also continuing.

More than 20 ISIS and Taliban militants have been killed and tens of others wounded in recent fighting in the Wazir Valley of Khogyani District, said Lt. Gen. Abdur Rahman Rahimi, chief of Nangarhar's provincial police.

"Both of these terrorist groups want to kill civilians and to make chaos in the area," he told Salaam Times. "However, they will take this wish to their graveyard."

The ANDSF are trying to take advantage of the militant infighting, launching ground operations in Wazir Valley November 28.

The same day, Nangarhar Governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal briefed journalists on the operation in the Kharmanay area.

"We will not let any of these groups relax," he said. "Both ISIS and the Taliban are our enemies. We will crush them; then we'll destroy them."

Maj. Gen. Mohammad Zaman Waziri, commander of the 201st Silab Corps, also visited Khogyani District to monitor the operations.

"If ISIS or the Taliban rise in Kunar, we will destroy them there. And if they rise in Nuristan, we will destroy them there," he told reporters. "We will fight until the militant and terrorist groups are demolished."

The army will establish security posts in the areas cleared of ISIS and Taliban militants in Khogyani District and provide residents with permanent security, added Waziri.

Fleeing 'doomsday'

More than 9,000 families have been displaced from the Wazir Valley in the past two weeks, Governor Mangal said on November 28.

"Up to 4,400 families were provided with some assistance," he said, adding that an additional 5,300 families will receive assistance soon.

Mangal called on international aid agencies to help provide assistance to the families displaced from Khogyani District.

Sayed Qayum, 32, a resident of Wazir, is one of the thousands who had to flee because of the fighting.

"ISIS came and started fighting the Taliban," he told Salaam Times. "As soon as we heard that they came, we took some of our luggage and fled the area, as we knew about their cruelty."

"There were no cars or trucks; it was a dark night, and the children were crying," he said. "Everyone was trying to escape."

Qayum fled with his family of seven to the Chamtala area in Nangarhar, where they have been staying in an open field.

"Here, we do not even have tents. We have no idea what to do and where to go," Qayum said.

"We had no shoes or headscarves," Shah Khanum, an elderly woman from Wazir, told Salaam Times. "Everyone was trying to escape."

"It was like doomsday -- firing, shouting; both sides were chanting 'God is great'," she said. "But their work is not like that of Muslims at all."

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https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-40725639 The Swedish Committee states that it has been involved in humanitarian work in Afghanistan for 35 years and provides health services to more than two million Afghans annually. Laghman province in the east of Afghanistan is about 120 km from the capital Kabul. Forces affiliated with the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami, local commanders and powerful individuals are among the main opposition forces and disrupt the security of the province. Hezb-e-Islami has signed a peace agreement with the Afghan government and announced that it has renounced armed conflict with government forces, but it is said that the group's forces are still a major opponent of the Afghan government in the Taliban.

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https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-40725639 The Swedish committee in Laghman province is suspending its health activities 26 July 2017 Laghman province in the east of Kabul is one of the most insecure provinces in Afghanistan The Swedish Committee has announced that it has suspended health services due to rising insecurity in the eastern Afghan province of Laghman. As a result, about half a million people will be deprived from access to health services. The agency said in a press release sent to the media today, Wednesday, 26 of July that the Swedish committee had been forced to suspend provision of health services in the province due to increasing security threats from the armed forces opposed to the Afghan government. Madeleine Jufors, chairwoman of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, said the committee's closure in Laghman province had left about half a million children, men and women without access to health care. According to the statement of this organization, the opposition forces of Afghanistan closed 40 health centers affiliated to this organization on July 7, 2017. It is reported that 20 open medical centers and 20 other centers in Alishang, Alingar and Mehtarlam districts remained closed after the clashes. The agency said that the threat to a number of employees of this agency is increasing and this has led to the decision to close these health centers. Mrs.Jufors added that with the increase in security threats, not only the activities of this insti

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The link to this report shows January 3, 2018, but the incident may have taken place at the end of 2017: Three people, including two prominent insurgent commanders, were killed, and three others were seriously injured. Two well-known terrorists and key commanders of insurgents, Abdul Rahman Muslim and Tor Gul, were killed. Jalaluddin was also among them. Two other insurgents were also wounded during an armed struggle between the Afghan National Army (and their armed enemies) in Bisram, a neighborhood near the provincial capital. The fighting was taking place on the way to Alingar late yesterday afternoon. The two notorious commanders of the insurgents were key terrorists involved in several terrorist activities along the Alingar route, including planting roadside bombs, shedding the blood of innocent people, and occasionally invading Afghan security forces' checkpoints, and other illegal activities, in which Abdul Rahman Muslim had been wounded three times in separate clashes by Afghan security forces. One ANA soldier was martyred, and three others were injured in the clash. Laghman provincial authorities commended the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF) for this outstanding achievement. They urged all forces to pay special attention to the lives of civilians during operations and clashes with the insurgents. The governor's office also prayed for the souls of the martyred soldiers, wished the injured a speedy recovery, and offered its condolences to their

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Greetings! can you tell me about the important events in 2017 in Laghman province. I need it. I am away from my country in France, and France is asking me about it; however, I do not have information. I will be grateful if you may give me information.

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Yes, brother. I prepared some information for you.
First: as seen in this link, this report was published on April 9, 2917.
Bakhtar [News Agency], Kabul, April 9

Six terrorists were Killed In security forces' clearance operations In Laghman Province.
The press office of 201 Selab Army Corps informed Bakhtar News Agency that:
Six terrorists were killed and five others injured during the operation Diamond-2 by security forces in the western part of Laghman province to ensure better security for the people.
Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated several arms and ammunition.
In addition, the forces also destroyed poppy crops that were grown on 30 jeribs (6 hectares) of land.
https://bakhtarnews.af/ Six-terrorists-killed-in-Laghman /

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