People want action against increased armed robberies

Monitoring Desk

MAZAR-E-SHARIF: A group of Balkh residents on Sunday held a protest outside the provincial council’s office in Mazar-e-Sharif city to raise their voice against an increase in armed robberies in the northern city.

The protesting residents said the armed robberies undermine law-and-order. The residents recount many stories about armed robbery incidents that they claim to have faced in recent months.

One of them, Abdul Wase, said a group of unidentified armed men stole Afs50,000 from his shop one afternoon.

“I was threatened by armed robbers. They took everything. They warned me to not raise my voice. I informed the police but no action was taken,” he said.

Ahmad Farooq Qasimi, imam at a mosque in Balkh, said that even some murders have happened in the city that have gone unnoticed by relevant officials.

“Over the past few days, we have witnessed a car stolen and its owner was killed… A jeweler was killed on the road with his son. Such cases have increased,” he said.

According to Balkh police, at least 40 suspects have been arrested on charges of various crimes, including armed robberies, in Mazar-e-Sharif in a month.

“Over the past month, we have recognized 62 cases and arrested 43 suspects over murder and robbery and other crimes,” Balkh Police Chief Colonel Mohammad Ajmal Fayiz said.

He vowed to increase patrols across the city to prevent the rise of crime. (TOLOnews)