Ashraf Ghani

Khaama Press
November 26, 2015

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has dismissed the provincial Intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) Chief along with a number of other high level government officials.

President Ghani arrived in Kunduz this morning on a second visit within the past one month to hold talks with the government officials and local residents.

The provincial NDS chief has been dismissed apparently due to negligence and being absent from the duty on the day the city fell to the Taliban control.

A number of district governors and other high level government officials have also been dismissed by the president.

The Taliban militants launched coordinated attack on Kunduz city late in the month of September and took control of the city after a day of heavy clash with the security forces.

The control of the strategic city was retaken by the Afghan security forces earlier last month with the support of the coalition airstrikes.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) released a report last month unveiling the horrific criminal activities committed by Taliban militants while they were holding the control of Kunduz city.

According to the report, the Taliban militants were involved mainly in target killings, rape, kidnappings, use of civilians as shields, looting of public and private properties.

The report said at least 50 civilians were killed and over 350 others were wounded but the number could be relatively higher as AIHRC said their statistics is based on hospital reports and several others have not been taken to hospital after they were killed or injured.

The Taliban militants abducted over 100 people including civilians and service members of the security institutions after they took control of the city, the report said, adding that some of them were released after they were questioned while the others have been taken to unknown locations.