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KABUL: Following week-long fighting between Afghan security forces, pro-government forces and the Taliban in western Herat province, scholars and clerics are calling for ceasefire in the province.
Head of western zone Ulema Council, Mawlawi Khodadad Saleh, in presence of tens of scholars asked the government and the Taliban to announce a ceasefire and stop fighting.
“We raised our voices, because it is the nation’s voice that there should be a ceasefire in place,” he said. He added a commission must be established after the truce to observe the ceasefire in a bid to pave the ground for a lasting peace.
Mohammad Naeem, 30 years old, who lost two members of his family during Herat fighting, asked for a ceasefire between the government and the Taliban. He said his brother, cousin and a neighbor were killed and around 25 others wounded from their neighborhood.
Meanwhile, local security officials say they would launch operations to drive them out of the city. Herat Governor, Abdul Sabor Qane,says that the Taliban attacks have reduced in the past three days as they failed to continue with their offensive in the province, and also Afghan security forces started operations to suppress the militants and currently security forces are advancing.
Following the Taliban attack over Herat city, pro-government forces formed under leading of former Jihadi leader Mohammad Ismail Khan in the province.
According to provincial head of National Directorate Security in Herat Hasib Seddiqi, Security forces and the uprising’s crew become more firm against the Taliban.
He said that the enemy had the idea to lead the Herat to challenges simply and attacked over it, but over 300-350 Taliban fighters were killed, most of them were fighters from outside of Herat and even scores of them had come from abroad.
According to reports, a number of districts are under control of the Taliban and Guzra and Injil districts are the frontline of the clashes.
Fighting in Herat has displaced hundreds of families in Herat and thousands more in Helmand province. A recent Taliban’s takeover of Nimroz city has also led to hundreds of people fleeing into Iran border.
