MAYMANA, AFGHANISTAN: Taliban fighters paraded by a northwest Afghan town in a display of power at the weekend, days following reinforcements ended up sent to quell unrest above the detention of a well-liked commander.
Protests erupted previous 7 days in Maymana, cash of Faryab province, just after an Uzbek Taliban commander was detained for alleged backlinks to a kidnapping plot.
The unrest sparked fears of tensions between Uzbek and Pashtun civilians and Taliban fighters, with unconfirmed reviews that customers of both equally ethnic groups experienced been killed in isolated clashes.
“We deployed hundreds of forces from neighbouring provinces and the circumstance is beneath manage now,” Latifullah Hakimi, a senior defence ministry formal, advised AFP at the weekend.
Sunday’s parade integrated columns of masked fighters clad in matching white shalwar kameez tunics, khaki fight vests, and headscarves inscribed with the Muslim declaration of faith.
Dozens much more intensely armed fighters in jungle camouflage rode on the again of decide-up vans and armoured cars, seized from Afghan federal government and US forces in the course of the Taliban’s lightning-rapid summer months takeover.
Residents of Maymana lined the route, a lot of stony-confronted as they filmed the parade with their cellphone cameras.
“Two times back the problem was not good simply because of the demonstration, but now the situation is regular,” claimed Rohullah, a 20-yr-aged shopkeeper.
“The only difficulty we have is that men and women you should not have employment… but they are quite joyful with the stability.”
The demonstrate of force arrives as Afghanistan’s new rulers battle to evolve from an insurgency to a governing power in a nation on the brink of economic collapse, with the United Nations estimating a lot more than 50 % the populace is facing acute starvation.
Self-control among the the rank and file – significantly in distant parts – is turning out to be a trouble, with regional commanders disregarding edicts from Kabul or utilizing orders to their own whim.
Promising a softer rule than their 1996-2001 regime, the Taliban have launched a commission to establish users flouting laws – dismissing just about 3,000 people.
“We had a armed forces parade in the town to guarantee the people today that we will not permit any person interrupt stability,” reported Jaweed, a Maymana commander who like a lot of goes by only one name.
Protests erupted previous 7 days in Maymana, cash of Faryab province, just after an Uzbek Taliban commander was detained for alleged backlinks to a kidnapping plot.
The unrest sparked fears of tensions between Uzbek and Pashtun civilians and Taliban fighters, with unconfirmed reviews that customers of both equally ethnic groups experienced been killed in isolated clashes.
“We deployed hundreds of forces from neighbouring provinces and the circumstance is beneath manage now,” Latifullah Hakimi, a senior defence ministry formal, advised AFP at the weekend.
Sunday’s parade integrated columns of masked fighters clad in matching white shalwar kameez tunics, khaki fight vests, and headscarves inscribed with the Muslim declaration of faith.
Dozens much more intensely armed fighters in jungle camouflage rode on the again of decide-up vans and armoured cars, seized from Afghan federal government and US forces in the course of the Taliban’s lightning-rapid summer months takeover.
Residents of Maymana lined the route, a lot of stony-confronted as they filmed the parade with their cellphone cameras.
“Two times back the problem was not good simply because of the demonstration, but now the situation is regular,” claimed Rohullah, a 20-yr-aged shopkeeper.
“The only difficulty we have is that men and women you should not have employment… but they are quite joyful with the stability.”
The demonstrate of force arrives as Afghanistan’s new rulers battle to evolve from an insurgency to a governing power in a nation on the brink of economic collapse, with the United Nations estimating a lot more than 50 % the populace is facing acute starvation.
Self-control among the the rank and file – significantly in distant parts – is turning out to be a trouble, with regional commanders disregarding edicts from Kabul or utilizing orders to their own whim.
Promising a softer rule than their 1996-2001 regime, the Taliban have launched a commission to establish users flouting laws – dismissing just about 3,000 people.
“We had a armed forces parade in the town to guarantee the people today that we will not permit any person interrupt stability,” reported Jaweed, a Maymana commander who like a lot of goes by only one name.
