Badakhshan establishes new anti-insurgency unit

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials in Badakhshan said Monday a new security unit has been established in the province to maintain security.

According to the officials the members of this new unit are well-equipped and ready to suppress any insurgency by opposition groups.

Badakhshan deputy governor Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi said there has been incidents of insurgency by groups linked to Daesh and the so-called Resistance Front.

Officials said they will not allow anyone to disturb the security in Badakhshan.

Ahmadi said however that Daesh and other groups opposed to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) have no control over any part of the province, but that incidents such as ambushes and explosions have been carried out against IEA forces.

“We did not say that the Resistance Front and Daesh do not exist at all. They are not regular and nowhere have they declared their existence, but still, we witnessed incidents in the capital Faizabad, they want to disrupt security,” said Ahmadi.

“My message is that if it is Daesh or the Resistance Front, whatever they call themselves, they should prove once and for all that the system is infidel [non-Islamic] and share their problems, convince the people and then take up arms,” said Mazuddin Ahmadi, Head of Information and Culture of Badakhshan.

Residents of Badakhshan, who have welcomed the recent calm, say they no longer want conflict in the province.

“With the change of regime in Afghanistan, security has really changed. In the past, robberies and murder was common, and theft and blasts were less common but after the developments, murders and thefts have decreased. We hope the government will pay attention to security and try to provide more security,” said Mohibullah Sadat, a resident of Badakhshan.

“After the recent developments, people can do their work and activities day and night and travel, and theft and crime have decreased. We are completely satisfied with this situation, and our emphasis is that the Islamic Emirate also maintain security,” said Abdul Baies Hakimi, another resident.

According to Badakhshan officials, eight so-called resistance fighters have been killed and one arrested in the latest clashes in Badakhshan’s Kohistan district.