Taliban Infiltrator Kills 16 Afghan Gov’t Militiamen
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Dispatches) – A Taliban infiltrator killed 16 members of a pro-government militia force in the insurgency ridden southern province of Helmand when he turned his gun on men who he had worked with for months, officials said on Monday.
The Afghan security agency had set up the militia to infiltrate the Taliban, a security official told Reuters, though a spokesman for Helmand’s governor was unable to identify the group.
"We know that a Taliban fighter killed 16 militiamen fighting alongside government forces, but who these forces belong to, we don’t know yet,” said the spokesman, Omar Zwak.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings in the province’s Gereshk district on Saturday, saying two of its fighters were involved.
A security official, who declined to be identified, said the suspected gunman had worked with the militia for months and took arms and ammunition after killing the men.
Helmand is one of Afghanistan’s most violent provinces, and also a major source of opium, the narcotic used to make heroin.
Meanwhile, Taliban has invited a U.S. senator for "mutual talks” in the Qatari capital Doha, where the so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has an office.
The terror group’s social media accounts extended the invitation to Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul over his latest comments about the United States’ long war in Afghanistan, The Washington Times reported Sunday.
"We invite the respectable U.S. Senator Rand Paul, in his official capacity to visit our political office in Doha for mutual talks,” read a Twitter post by the self-declared Information Committee of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
It further suggested that the U.S. should withdraw its forces from the war-ravaged country for peace to emerge.
"We’ll prove to Mr. Rand Paul, the immediate U.S. withdrawal from [Afghanistan] will bring peace to our country & will enhance international security,” the group added in the social media post.
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The Afghan security agency had set up the militia to infiltrate the Taliban, a security official told Reuters, though a spokesman for Helmand’s governor was unable to identify the group.
"We know that a Taliban fighter killed 16 militiamen fighting alongside government forces, but who these forces belong to, we don’t know yet,” said the spokesman, Omar Zwak.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings in the province’s Gereshk district on Saturday, saying two of its fighters were involved.
A security official, who declined to be identified, said the suspected gunman had worked with the militia for months and took arms and ammunition after killing the men.
Helmand is one of Afghanistan’s most violent provinces, and also a major source of opium, the narcotic used to make heroin.
Meanwhile, Taliban has invited a U.S. senator for "mutual talks” in the Qatari capital Doha, where the so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has an office.
The terror group’s social media accounts extended the invitation to Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul over his latest comments about the United States’ long war in Afghanistan, The Washington Times reported Sunday.
"We invite the respectable U.S. Senator Rand Paul, in his official capacity to visit our political office in Doha for mutual talks,” read a Twitter post by the self-declared Information Committee of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
It further suggested that the U.S. should withdraw its forces from the war-ravaged country for peace to emerge.
"We’ll prove to Mr. Rand Paul, the immediate U.S. withdrawal from [Afghanistan] will bring peace to our country & will enhance international security,” the group added in the social media post.
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