House-to-house searches continue in Kabul despite criticism

Kabul, March 3 (IANS) Despite domestic and international criticism, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan have continued their house-to-house searches in Kabul after the "clearing operation" was launched a week ago aimed at tightening security in the capital city.

The operation, led by Deputy Minister of Defense Mullah Fazal Mazloom, is being conducted by joint forces of the Ministries of Defence and Interior, as well as the Intelligence Department, reports TOLO News.

A Taliban commander in Kabul's Police District 10 has claimed that "weapons, government vehicles, military uniforms have been seized. We have raided some places which were the sanctuaries of kidnappers".

But the searches have been condemned by Afghan citizens and the international community.

Relatives of Mustafa Kazimi, a former MP who was killed in a suicide bombing in 2007 in Baghlan, said that the Taliban forces mistreated them while raiding their house, TOLO News reported.

According to the family, the forces also seized several private vehicles.

Meanwhile, several international officials and human rights watchdogs reacted to the house-to-house searches and called for an immediate end to it.

Besides Kabul, there were reports of similar searches being conducted in Baghlan province on Wednesday.