By Saifullah Maftoon
Angry residents took to the streets on Tuesday against what they called civilian killings by foreign troops in southern Ghazni province.
Dozens of dwellers of Aab Band district closed the Kabul-Kandahar highway, accusing NATO-led soldiers of killing two civilians and wounding as many others.
Afghan men carry the bodies of those killed in a NATO-led night raid in Khost province on January 15, 2011. The raid left six civilians dead. Mubarez Zadran, a provincial government spokesman, told CNN that the civilians were killed in a residential area of Khost province's Matoon district and said two others were wounded. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
A resident of Askarkot area, Rahmatullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News that those killed and injured during the overnight operation belonged to the same family. Another two people were arrested, he claimed.
“Foreign forces say they won’t release the men only when the authorities confirm they are civilians,” he said, adding that they would not reopen the road as long as the detainees were not freed.
According to driver Ziaullah, the busy highway has been closed for two hours. As a result, the driver said, they had decided against plying the road.
But Fazal Sabawoon, the governor’s spokesman, said he was unaware of the highway closure. He insisted two militants had been killed and as many detained in women’s clothes during the raid.