Nuristan-Kunar road reopens after military offensive

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): A key road between easte Nuristan and Kunar provinces has been reopened as a result of a military operation codenamed “Sher Ghashai” (Lion Arrow).

The road that coects Nari and Ghaziabad districts of Kunar with easte districts of Nuristan, including Barg-i-Matal and Kamdesh, was blocked by a rockslide one and a half months ago in Dab Barwar area of Asmar district, the Kunar goveor’s spokesman, Abdul Ghani Musamim, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

But Taliban militants had been posing a challenge to the reopening of the road and security forces launched an operation last night and reopened the road, he said, adding everyone could travel on the route without any problem.

Local residents also confirmed the road had been reopened and said they suffered a lot due to the blockade.

A resident of Nari district, Abdul Wahid, told Pajhwok Afghan News the people of easte parts of Nuristan and Kunar’s Nari and Ghazibad districts had been in great trouble due to the road block. He said the blockade had resulted in an unprecedented price hike and that some patients had also died after failing to reach hospital.

A resident of Ghaziabad district, Hayauddin, said he was happy over the reopening of the road and urged the govement to establish security posts on the road.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said only civilians were allowed to travel on the road and govement officials could not do so.

Their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said insurgents were still in the area and they had closed the road against govement officials and forces.

He said only 21 Taliban fighters had been killed in the entire Kunar province during the past three months and another 18 injured. During this period, he claimed hundreds of security persoel had suffered casualties and their several vehicles were destroyed.

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