Imam Sahib District residents rise up against Taliban

KUNDUZ -- Hundreds of residents of Imam Sahib District, Kunduz Province, declared a public uprising against the Taliban following intensified violence in the district that has included the killing of civilians.

"Three hundred people from all villages in the district gathered in the city of Imam Sahib and declared a public uprising against the enemies of the Afghan people," said Imam Sahib District Governor Mahboobullah Saeedi.

"This is a popular movement," he said of the Saturday (December 19) gathering.

"Members of the movement are going to protect themselves, others and their property against the Taliban, and the local government is ready to co-operate and equip them," he said.

The Taliban have carried out four attacks in the district centre and on security checkpoints in the past month, resulting in heavy casualties among the Taliban in addition to military casualties, Saeedi said.

"The Taliban do not want peace," said Abdul Jameel Mullahkhil, who leads the public uprising group. "They have no desire for peace."

"The Taliban are killing our innocent civilians every day," he added. "We can no longer tolerate such injustice against us."

"The Taliban force the villagers to pay ushr, provide food for the militants and help them with transporting weapons and ammunition," he said, noting that these impositions compelled them to mobilise against the insurgents.

All the communities in Imam Sahib District have decided "to stand with one voice against this group" and clear militants from their villages, said Mullahkhil.

Sacrifices for peace

On Saturday, "members of all communities got together to show unity and solidarity and to stand up to the Taliban," said Abdul Ghafoor, a tribal elder in Imam Sahib District.

"War has been going on in our country for the past 40 years," he said. "If the Taliban militants are Afghans and Muslims, they should say no to war and violence, and should seek peace and a ceasefire."

"The Taliban have made peace with the United States but are fighting against Afghans," said Saad Gul Naseri, a member of the new group.

"We are making sacrifices every day, and we are still ready to make sacrifices so that peace can be achieved in our country," he said.

"We seek peace and brotherhood, but [the Taliban] kill us," he added. "So if they do not believe in peace, there is no need for peace with them."

As a consequence of the war with the Taliban, "there are orphans and widows in almost every household," said Naseri.

"If the Taliban do not accept peace or a ceasefire, we have to defend our country against them," said Imam Sahib District resident Abdul Sattar Momand. "We stand by the government."

Uptick in Taliban violence

Kunduz Provincial Council Chairman Mohammad Yusuf Ayubi praised the action taken by Imam Shaib residents.

"Unfortunately, the Taliban have escalated their violence since signing a peace agreement with the United States [in February], and in the past four months alone, they have carried out five major attacks in Imam Sahib District," he said.

On November 3, the Taliban detonated a car full of explosives near the Border Forces base in Imam Sahib District, causing heavy military and civilian casualties.

On November 11, the Taliban killed at least 10 police officers in a raid on a security post in the Bala-e-Hesar area of the district.

Three days later, the Taliban launched an offensive on a security checkpoint in Avista Ming village, killing at least eight members of local forces and a member of the Afghan National Army. At least three members of the pro-government side were wounded, Ayubi said.

More than 430 civilians were killed or wounded by Taliban violence in Kunduz, Takhar and Baghlan provinces in the first nine months of the solar year, said the northeastern office of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission this month.

Even though Taliban violence intensified in parts of Kunduz Province, security forces were prepared to defend against the group, said Kunduz police spokesman Inamuddin Rahmani.

"Afghan security forces are committed to ensuring security and to protecting national sovereignty as well as the territorial integrity of the country," he said.

"We assure our people that Afghan forces are working day and night to prevent the Taliban from carrying out their heinous acts, which are aimed at terrorising communities, targeting the innocent and destroying public facilities," he said.