A special unit of the country’s intelligence agency, NDS, conducted an operation in Rabat village in Parwan province last week in which 10 people were killed, following concerns raised by local residents linking insecurity in the area to the existence of illegal armed groups.

There have been many reports about the activities of illegal armed groups in some areas recently.

One of those killed in the operation was a former aide to Almas Zahid, a presidential adviser. He criticized the operation but claimed that the people killed had no relations with him.

“They are from our area. One of them who was old and was killed was my bodyguard 20 years ago,” he said.

“If the unit went on the operation to search for them, they should explain. If the unit conducted the operation for others, they should also explain. When a unit conducts an operation in a place, they should not kill everyone. They should make arrests,” Zahid added.

The assassination of an Afghan Air Force member also recently occurred in the village of Rabat. And in Bagram district, where the village is located, a blast targeted a university lecturers’ bus last month, attacks targeted power pylons, and some targeted killings also took place--all of which Parwan residents said were perpetrated by illegal armed men.

“It is concerning--it has created concern among Parwan residents,” said Maihan, a Parwan resident, referring to the existence of illegal armed men in the province.

“They fire weapons at night and conduct assassinations and armed robbery,” said Changir, a Parwan resident, referring to illegal armed men in the province.

The NDS did not provide information about the 01 Unit operation in Rabat village in Parwan.