HERAT CITY - Nearly a dozen Taliban militants involved in a number of attacks have been arrested in western Herat province, the governor said on Tuesday.
Governor Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali told a news conference at the provincial National Directorate of Security office that the 11 detainees had entered Herat for carrying out terrorist attack on the orders of Taliban intelligence.
He said the detainees had already carried out 11 attacks in the city so far and wanted to stage six more assassinations, but they were arrested by NDS personnel.
He said the suspects had been arrested from different parts of Herat province. He said initial investigation showed the group had carried out targeted assassinations.
The governor said one of the terrorist attacks was carried out on the US Consulate and the other 10 attacks were targeted assassinations of security forces. The group was also involved in planting landmines.
Safiullah, one of the detainees, said that after one and a half years training from Maulvi Abdul Karim, the Taliban’s intelligence chief in Herat, he arrived in Herat six months ago to carry out attacks.
He said he carried out two operations against security forces so far and was arrested by NDS forces four days ago when he tried to gun down security forces inside a ranger vehicle.
He said his brother was killed a few months ago after an attack on check-posts at the Ragina Bridge in Herat city and his comrade escaped.
Abdul Karim, another detainee, said that four months ago on the orders of Maulvi Abdul Karim, he entered Herat city and carried out two attacks on security forces. He was arrested on Monday. (Pajhwok)