Ghani vows revenge for death of nine in helicopter downing

President Ashraf Ghani Saturday vowed revenge for the downing of an Afghan Air Force helicopter on Thursday in Maidan Wardak province that claimed the lives of nine people.

In a telephone conversation with the relatives of the victims, Ghani stated that he would not forget the incident and he would take revenge for the attack.

“We will avenge the (death of) martyrs as they have been killed while defending the country. They came under attack for no reason,” Ghani said.

On Thursday, an Mi -17 military helicopter was shot down in Behsud district of Maidan Wardak province. Four crew members and five security force members were killed.

Government officials have accused fighters loyal to Wardak militia commander Abdul Ghani Alipour, also known as commander Shamsher (Sword), of shooting down the helicopter.

Iranian media said citing a source that Alipour had admitted his men had shot down the helicopter.

However, Alipour implied that the helicopters had been engaged in an operation against his men.

“When helicopters come to fight and kill civilians and carry out missile and rocket attacks on the Mujahidin, it does not mean that we welcome them with garlands,” Alipur reportedly told the Iran International.

Meanwhile, hundreds of security forces have been dispatched to Behsud to launch an operation against Alipour.

Speaking out against private militias, Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib said on Saturday that independent activity by such groups is not acceptable.

“Operations by irresponsible groups are not acceptable. All people can join the Afghan Armed Forces to defend their land,” Mohib said at a press conference on Saturday.

The Defense Ministry (MoD) also stated that there was no difference between irresponsible armed men and Taliban militants and that the security forces would crackdown on the groups in defense of the people.

General Yasin Zia, Acting Defense Minister said: “This helicopter has been shot down by Alipour. The incident will be responded to at any cost. There is no difference between these people and the Taliban.”

The MoD said the helicopter was sent to Behsud to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers and to transfer wounded security force members to hospitals.

Mohammad Mohaqiq, President Ghani’s Advisor for Political and Security Affairs claimed that heavy casualties have been inflicted on both the security forces and men loyal to Alipour in the past few weeks.

Mohaqiq urged the government not to be too hasty to use force and “to try to resolve the issue through peaceful ways.”