Some residents of Badakhshan called on government to launch large-scale military operations to remove “serious threats” to Faizabad, the capital city of the north-eastern province.

The residents, on behalf of their areas at a meeting in Faizabad on Tuesday, said Wardooj, Yumgan, Jurm districts and Faizabad City are under serious threat by militants and they need to be cleared of insurgents.

“Insecurity has worried Badakhshan residents. They are tired of conflicts and insecurity. Militants are operating on the outskirts of Faizabad City,” said Miraj, a civil society activist in the province.

“Badakhshan officials are weak. They have not fulfilled their demands so far. Insecurity is at its peak. People are worried. We will face a crisis if the situation continues,” said Mohammad Zaman, a resident of Badakhshan.

Meanwhile, some members of Badakhshan Provincial Council claimed government does not have any will to clear the province of militants.

“So far, the central government has not taken any steps to help security in the province. We have been promised military operations will be carried out in the near future, but there is no political will to take this decision and clear Badakhshan of militants,” said Abdullah Naji Nazari, member of Badakhshan Provincial Council.

Badakhshan Governor Ahmad Faizal Begzad said government forces are fighting against Taliban militants in Kohistan and Teshkan districts.

“We should clear the areas which have (recently) fallen to militants and then we will decide on large-scale military operations in consultation with the central government,” he told TOLOnews.

This comes after Kohistan district in Badakhshan fell to the Taliban last week on Thursday. The district governor’s building was retaken by government forces on Saturday, but according to local officials, some parts of the district still need to be cleared of the militants.