IRIN
AFGHANISTAN: Community caught in crossfire in need of assistance
13 January 2005


[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KABUL, 13 January (IRIN) - Hundreds of people, including women and
children, were braving freezing winter weather in the isolated Khartzan
valley of the northwestern Faryab province after their houses whad been
looted by local armed groups, Faryab governor Amer Latif told IRIN from
the provincial capital, Maimana, on Wednesday.

Latif said the incident happened several weeks ago, but thatnews of their
plight had only just filtered out of the isolated valley due to heavy
snow. "We have a very serious problem - there is a dire need for emergency
assistance. It is too cold and people need some security measures but we
cannot do anything as the road is blocked and we were not provided with
helicopters," Latif said.

Reports from Faryab say at least ten civilians have been injured after
frequent skirmishes took place between two rival commanders. "They were
rival drug lords and the fighting was on issues of opium trafficking. The
dispute turned violent when they ambushed each other's convoys of drugs,"
the governor noted.

Meanwhile the Afghan NGO Security Office (ANSO) told IRIN that they had
advised aid agencies to temporarily suspend travel to Faryab province
following the incident.

According to ANSO, during the localised fighting amongst armed groups in
that area, the entire village of Khartazan had been looted. ANSO said 25
families were displaced, three villagers had been taken hostage and two
more wounded in the crossfire.

This is not the first incident in troubled Faryab province. Warlords and
their armies in the province continue to harass people and defy local
authorities by grabbing land from farmers and locking up those who oppose
them in private prisons, human rights activists in Maimana told IRIN.


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