2,000 families flee homes as Kunduz raids continue

Monitoring Desk

KUNDUZ: An ongoing clearing operation has displaced around 2,000 families in Chardara district to the provincial capital of northern Kunduz province, an official said Saturday.

Launched a week back, the operation codenamed “Pamir 17” has been focused on 10 villages in the district, said Salaam Hashimi, the provincial refugee and repatriation director. He told Pajhwok the displaced families were suffering from a lot of trouble and difficulties due to harsh winter. They have just started survey of the displaced families in the provincial city, Hashimi said, adding all donor agencies had shown interest to offer assistance to these families.

Sediqia, 60, who recently displaced along with her 12-member family, said they left their area due to the ongoing security forces operation. She said security situation in their district was bad and the government had so far extended them no aid since arriving Kunduz City.

Another displaces woman expressed her concern about the situation of the uprooted families who left behind everything to save their lives.

She said the families were in great trouble due to lack of shelter to protect themselves from harsh winter.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Sayed Qurban Musavi, chief of the ANA 20 division, said the Taliban used homes of local residents to attack security forces, a reason behind the displacement.

He said the ongoing clearing operation had resulted in purging ten villages out from the presence of rebels.