News - Afghanistan

Islamist militants from Hezb-i-Islami are taking advantage of so-called local uprisings in Afghan villages to wrest power from the Taliban, Afghan senators claimed in Sunday's sitting session.

The senators called for the government to closely monitor the uprisings of residents against Taliban control in local villages and districts in order to prevent other groups from taking advantage of the power upheaval.

An uprising of students against the Taliban control was first reported in Ghazni province in late June, but similar protests have since spread to districts of Nangarhar, Faryab, Laghman, and Badghis provinces.

They said the government must prevent any enemy infiltrating the public under the guise of a local uprising.

"A delegation from the Afghan parliament should go to these provinces and monitor the uprising closely," Afghan Senator Zalmai Zabuli said.

"It should be clear whether Hezb-i-Islami or another group is leading these uprisings, or whether it is really the protest of local residents against the Taliban's cruelty," Afghan Senator Belqis Roshan said.

Some senators also criticised some of the provincial governors, accusing some of them of being spies for Taliban.

The most recent report of an uprising came from the Hasarak district of eastern Nangarhar province, which was said to have driven around 80 percent of the Taliban from the villages in the district within three days of fighting last week.