Kunar residents 'fed up' with terrorists

KABUL -- Residents of Kunar Province say they have had enough of violence, harassment and extortion from terrorist groups and want the Afghan government to intervene as soon as possible.

Kunar Governor Wahidullah Kalimzai confirmed the presence of more than 15 terrorist groups in the province, including the Taliban, "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS), al-Qaeda and other allied groups.

"These terror groups are present in Chapa Dara, Marawara and Ghaziabad districts," he told Salaam Times.

Locals "are fed up with the situation in areas controlled by the Taliban and ISIS," said Mohammad Naseem, 45, a farmer from Kunar Province.

Residents "cannot freely move around their areas," he told Salaam Times, adding that terrorist groups extort money and beat them up.

He urged the government to take all necessary action immediately to free the area from terrorists' grip.

The population of Kunar need not worry, said Kalimzai, asserting that Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) have the situation under control.

"Operational plans have been prepared, and the country's security forces are ready to confront terrorists," he said.

Residents co-operate with security forces

"Terrorist groups in Kunar Province have made life difficult," said Wazhma Safi, a parliamentarian from Kunar Province.

These groups tried to seize more territory in Kunar Province, but the public, in co-operation with security forces, did not allow the terrorists to take control, she said.

Civilians "co-operate with their security forces," she told Salaam Times. "In addition, the local police, all of whom are patriots, will never allow terrorists to seize their regions."

Safi urged the government to take additional steps to rid the province of terrorist elements.

"The militants have been inhumane and un-Islamic and have imposed great psychological and physical pressure on [civilians]," said Muhibullah, 32, a Kunar resident who goes to university in Kabul.

"The people aren't free to hold weddings, can't celebrate happy occasions or hold parties, nor can they work on their farms," he told Salaam Times.

Kunar residents "expect the government to conduct military operations as soon as possible and to kick the terrorists out of the province," said Muhibullah.

ANDSF prepared and ready

ANDSF are conducting operations against terrorists daily, said Ministry of Defence spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri.

"They will carry out operations against terrorists who threaten security, regardless of their location," he told Salaam Times.

"The security forces reached full preparedness during the winter," said Waziri said, adding that ANDSF soon will carry out military operations against terrorists throughout Afghanistan, including in Kunar Province, in order to protect the public.

"Security forces are carefully monitoring the security situation, and they'll crush the terrorists wherever they appear," he said.