A group of Badghis residents established a sit-in camp near the provincial governor’s office on Sunday to protest “increasing insecurity” in the northwestern province and called for dismissal of the provincial governor.

The residents said that inattention of local officials has increased insecurity in many parts of the province, especially the provincial center, Qala-e-Naw.

“The Badghis governor is not able to govern the province. He should resign. Insecurity is increasing day-by-day,” a Badghis resident, Dost Mohammad, said.

“We want the dismissal of the governor but we will always support the government,” Mohammad Aqa, a Badghis resident, said.

On Saturday, Taliban launched a complex attack on a hotel in Qala-e-Naw, the provincial center, killing at least eight people including two civilians.

The siege continued for five hours.   

Members of Badghis Provincial Council said the situation in the province is concerning due to inattention by relevant officials.

“Insecurity has plagued Badghis. Roads to Badghis districts are closed to traffic… We want security, we want the right of our people to be ensured,” member of Badghis Provincial Council, Mohammad Farid Akhizai, said.

Badghis governor Abdul Ghafoor Malikzai rejected the allegations and called the protest a “conspiracy” against him.

“We shared the protesters’ statement with the center [Kabul]. I will accept whatever the government decides about me. The demands of protesters are personal,” Malikzai said.

Bala Murghab, which is a key district in Badghis, came under Taliban attack two times this year which left the district vulnerable to security threats.