Some lawmakers in the lower house of the Afghan Parliament on Monday called for the arrest and prosecution of Alipoor, a local commander in Behsud district in Maidan Wardak, who is accused of downing an army helicopter in the district.

The Wolesi Jirga speaker and some members said that the second vice president, Mohammad Sarwar Danesh, released Alipoor on bail three years ago, and that now Danesh should respond to the families of nine people who were killed in the downing of the helicopter in Behsud this month.

“Alipoor was released on bail by the second vice president. The helicopter of the Defense Ministry crashed, but unfortunately, Massoud Andrabi was removed (as interior minister),” Parliament Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani said. 
 
“Mr. (Sarwar) Danesh is with you (President Ghani). You should pay for the $35 million helicopter whether he sells his home or other capital,” said Shahpoor Hasanzoi, an MP from Logar. 
 
“Our dear pilots, for whom big amounts were invested, were sacrificed in Behsud. They were sacrificed for discrimination and hatred in Behsud. Anyone who is behind this incident--we want justice for this,” said Mahdi Rasikh, an MP from Maidan Wardak. 
 
The MPs also criticized civilian casualties in recent clashes between government forces and the Taliban and called on the government to pay attention to the lives of the people. 
 
“Which country are we living in that its government kills its people?” asked Ramazan Bashardost, an MP from Kabul. 
 
The government did not comment on either issue raised by the MPs.