70 Villages in Sarobi Under Taliban Control: Officials

Local officials in Kabul province’s Sarobi district, east of Kabul city, on Thursday said that 70 villages out of 130 are under Taliban control.

Kabul governor Mohammad Yaqoub said that militants associated with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and other groups are playing a role in the fight in Sarobi.

Residents in Sarobi said that the Taliban has threatened to launch an attack on the Sarobi bazaar.

The Kabul governor said that besides Sarobi four other districts in Kabul province are under Taliban threat.

However, Kabul’s governor said that the security forces will not allow the Taliban to expand their activities.

Zahidullah, who owns a restaurant in Sarobi, said that the security situation in the area has deteriorated.

“The Taliban are trying to take over the ruby mines in Jagdalak district. They don’t have the capacity to extract it, but we are trying to prevent their control of it,” said Sarobi’s district governor.

“The enemy is trying to impose an economic siege on Kabul, they want to put pressure on the economic arteries, therefore the enemy focuses on our transporation routes in the east,” said Kabul governor Mohammad Yaqoub.

“There is fighting day and night, only the bazaar remains, some days ago they killed several secuity force members and took others hostage,” said Zahidullah, a resident in Sarobi.

Kabul has 14 districts, five of which are under threat, according to Afghan security officials.