Jalrez; Running Sore of Afghan Central Region’s Highway

Maidan Wardak is a central province in the west of Kabul which Taliban have a widespread activity in some of its districts, carrying out anti-government operations near capital Kabul city.

Maidan Wardak is a central province in the west of Kabul which Taliban have a widespread activity in some of its districts, carrying out anti-government operations near capital Kabul city.
This province is one of the paths that connects Hazarajat (Bamyan, Daikundi and Ghor provinces) with the capital city.

Maidan Shar is the center of Maidan Wardak which is surrounded by the Afghan security forces and dozens of tanks.
Taliban have operations just one kilometer away from Maidan Shar. In the latest case, the Taliban blew up a culvert 500 meters from a security check post on 8 June, making it difficult for passengers to commute.
The signs of terror and fear can be felt as you get away from Maidan Shar. There are no culverts that have not been blown up and no check posts that haven’t been burned in the fire.

Jalrez, which Bamyan’s highway passes through, is among the most insecure districts of Maidan Wardak. Taliban often shoot at passengers before the eyes of the people and if one escapes, he will be welcomed by the Taliban’s bullets.
“I myself saw that Taliban ordered a passenger car to stop, he (driver) did not stop and tried to escape, but five Taliban fighters shoot at it, killing all of the passengers,” said Taqi, a driver.

“I do not go to Bamyan unless having urgent work because the road is not so safe and Taliban are always on the road. They take the passengers off the car, either kill them or take them with themselves,” Hussain Ahamdi, a resident of Bamyan province, who is also a teacher in Kabul said.
According to him, the Taliban’s widespread presence in Jalrez district is due to people’s cooperation. Although he insists that the government ignores this area, the Taliban can never block the road or kill the people if people do not cooperate with them.

Days before Eid ul-Fitr, the Taliban took away six passengers with them from Jalrez Bazaar. Eyewitnesses say that they stopped the car and took the passengers with them without any reason.
“By God’s grace, I haven’t been stopped so far because my car is huge and poor people usually travel via this car. So, the Taliban do not stop it,” said Naseri, who has a 303 passenger vehicle.
Rasoul Shahzad – DID Press
Translated by Taher Mojab