KABUL - Second Vice President Muhammad Sarwar Danish on Saturday reiterates National Unity Government’s support to uprising forces after Mirz Olang massacre where they were the main target of insurgents.
The Second Vice President said the the National Unity Government (NUG) supports the public uprising forces in the country.
According to Danish, the insurgents mostly target the public uprising forces to intimidate the people from joining and supporting the Afghan security forces.
In reaction to the massacre in Mirza Olang valley in Sayyad district in Sar-e-Pul province, in which the uprising forces were the main target, government insists is will increase and expand of the public uprising forces.
“The Afghan government welcomes and supports the public uprising forces. We urge our people, especially the youth of every region not to just be witnesses but to cooperate with the national army and police forces and to stand with the public uprising forces (against the insurgents),” said Danish.
Meanwhile, in parts of the country, the commanders of public uprising units and local government officials emphasized the need for regulating of the public uprising forces.
The number of uprising forces in Khanabad district of Kunduz province has risen to a thousand armed men who have pushed back Taliban attacks on the district many times.
Khanabad local officials said in addition to insecurity, they are worried about not having control over this big number of armed men.
“The number of armed men has grown greatly and we need the support of the central government,” Hayatullah Amiri, Khanabad district governor said.
Uprising forces commanders also said their men should come under the structures of security departments to legitimate their activities.
“When the government needs us, they use us. But when their needs are addressed, they regard us as expendable,” Mohammad Omar Aqtash, commander of the public uprising forces said.
The public uprising forces dates back to 2013 when a number of residents of Andar district of Ghazni province took up arms against the Taliban. After that, especially in the recent months, the movements have been on the increase in numbers.
Since 2013, at least 17 provinces of the country have witnessed the activities of uprising forces against insurgents.
However, still no one and no organization have an exact number of the public uprising forces in the provinces.
“In the specific situation and in the specific region, government urges people to help, to take up arms and cooperate with the government to defend their soil. But I say that it is better to increase the number of security forces to maintain peoples’ security,” Sayed Ikram, an MP said.  (Tolonews)