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Afghan forces hunt for Taliban and Qaeda in refugee camps

Staff Report

QUETTA: Afghan forces on Tuesday started searching for Taliban and Al Qaeda members in Spin Boldak’s refugee camps whereas authorities increased security in areas alongside the Pak-Afghan border.

Meanwhile, US forces were still searching in Adey Ghar area for Taliban fighters hiding in caves.

Spin Boldak’s administration set up five more check posts in the area where about 200 fresh Afghan forces were deployed to watch for Taliban and Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami fighters. Spin Boldak Administrator Haji Fazlud Din Agha said a total 12 check posts would be established in the area and presently, about 200 Afghan forces were present at the five check posts.

He confirmed that the Afghan forces had searched four refugee camps but had found nothing except five assault rifles and a pistol and warned refugees not to keep weapons in the camps. The forces occupied the Awami camp’s dispensary for about three hours, where they interviewed many people. The authorities in Spin Boldak had been tipped off about a few Taliban fighters hiding in these camps, Mr Agha added.

Mr Agha also confirmed the presence of US forces in the area and said they were searching for Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami fighters who fought in Spin Boldak’s outskirts against American and Afghan forces. The Americans had found nothing but were making efforts to break the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami network.

Afghan forces Spin Boldak chief Obaidullah Mama, when contacted, said all those who fought with US and Afghan forces were robbers and had been creating problems in the area. He dispelled the impression of a large number of Afghan and US forces killed.

He said security had been increased in the area and the arrested Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami fighters were being interrogated. He said a huge cache of weapons had been recovered from the Taliban and now interrogations were going on as to where they had got the weapons.

Two rockets fired at US base: Two rockets were fired at an American base in the eastern Afghan province of Khost, but they caused no casualties or damage, the US military told AFP on Tuesday.

The rockets, fired at about 9:30pm on Monday, landed on the perimeter of the Salerno base, the military said in a statement. “No injuries to personnel or damage to equipment were reported,” it said.

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