Taliban attack Kandahar residents for refusing to abandon homes

KANDAHAR -- Taliban fighters attacked residents of Shah Wali Kot District in Kandahar Province after they refused to give up their homes to the fighters and serve them food, security officials and locals say.

The incident took place July 7 in eight villages of the district, according to Kandahar police.

"Armed terrorists forced locals in the Mano, Kandalan, Tabkol, Baghdeh, Sari and Zangitan areas to abandon their homes where they wanted to take refuge, but civilians resisted," Kandahar Police Chief Maj. Gen. Tadeen Khan Achakzai said in an interview on July 8, without naming the remaining two villages.

The residents "begged the Taliban as they had no other shelter, and also it was the time to harvest fruit," Achakzai said. "After that, the terrorist group severely beat them."

When residents from the affected areas reported the incident the next day, police arrived at the scene, but the Taliban already had fled, he added.

Beating up elderly locals

The Taliban beat about 50 civilians, including the elderly, in the incident, say local residents.

"They told us that we should move out, but I told them I wouldn't do it," said Wali Jan, a resident of Shah Wali Kot District. "Anyone who rejected their demands, they beat them without asking them any further questions."

"They started the beatings at 3pm," said an elderly man who requested anonymity.

He had his hand broken by the militants.

"The Taliban's commander himself was committing beatings. It wasn't just beatings; they threw stones at us and pulled down a wall on us," he said, referring to a type of punishment based on Islamic law.

"We don't have any control over our property," he added. "They [the Taliban] have blocked the roads, and we can't even cultivate our own land."

Beaten over food

Locals in the area who refused to provide food to the Taliban also faced beatings by the militants, said Jawid Ahmad, a tribal leader from Shah Wali Kot District.

"A bunch of the Taliban fighters came and asked us to provide them with food," Ahmad said. "If we refused to feed them, they would drag us out of our homes and beat us. We are fed up with these conflicts."

"A few days ago the Taliban came to our village and approached a poor person's house and asked him for food," he added. "He didn't have any food. They dragged him out of his place and beat him up in front of his house."

"He was screaming as people were watching," said Ahmad.

"I don't know what we have done wrong," he added.

"We call on the government to pay attention to us and ensure security in our area," Ahmad said. "We're desperate. Many families moved out of our villages. Some went to the city and some to other districts."

It is not the first time that the Taliban beat local residents, said Ahmad Shah Shaha, another tribal elder from the district.

"Sometimes the Taliban come and take us out of our homes," Shah said. "They have beaten up our youth and elderly several times. We're tired of all of this. We can't enjoy our lives."

The government is committed to protecting the residents of Kandahar, said Achakzai the provincial police chief.