Monitoring Desk: Afghan media indicates that Afghan Army vehicles and Afghan Army uniforms are available with war lords as symbol of snobbery and power.
Commenting on Balkh attack that resulted killing of 142 Afghan soldiers on last Friday, social media reports suggest that finding Afghan Army uniform is not difficult for Taliban or Daesh because they just need right connections and right people. It may be mentioned that Corp 209 was attacked in Balkh when Taliban managed to enter riding Afghan Army vehicles and wearing Afghan Army uniforms.
Social media claims that Afghan government tried its best to underplay the intensity of attack and kept reporting that only 10 soldiers were killed in attack and real news came on surface when injured soldiers in Mazar-i-Sharif hospital shared the reality with people around them. Even western media also followed Afghan government quest to underplay the situation and cover-up the damage but news do not stop to surface in Afghanistan. Taliban were quick to share information and photos of suicide bombers.
President Ashraf Ghani reached northern headquarters where massacre took place but he also refrained from talking to media. Afghan government observed Day of Mourning on Sunday (today) because dead bodies of soldiers reached their villages spreading all over the country.
Main stream Afghan media confirm that Afghan army reported 11 people killed till Friday evening while Presidential Office kept quite to share any information about the attack.
“Presidential Office spokesman told media men to contact Defence Ministry to get details of attack while Defense Ministry spokesman was not available and nobody could reach him”, mentioned a reporter in his broadcast news.
The press statement released by Dawlat Waziri, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defence says:
“Taliban and Enemies of Afghanistan’s Peace and stability continued their Crime and brutality, attacking Corps 209 Shaheen’s soldiers, During Jumah Prayer. Forces acted swiftly and killed all Attackers. Currently, Afghan National defense and security forces are suppressing all Adversaries throughout the country and has inflicted heavy causalities to them, these operations will be on going until complete annihilation of Enemies. Investigations are ongoing regarding the incident, final details will be given after completion of investigations”.
There was no mention how many soldiers were killed and how many were injured.
Taliban who rule almost half of Afghanistan attacked most secured installations of Afghan government during the last six months.
In November 2016, Taliban attacked fortified Bagram Air Base Field and killed over eight persons.
Attack inside the Governor House Kandahar in January 2017 killed diplomats of United Arab Emirate.
It may be mentioned that Islamic State known as Daesh killed 35 people in Kabul military hospital in March and gun battled continued for hours inside hospital.
Afghan media believes that every place in country is vulnerable due to deep corruption inside Afghan government and Afghan Army compromises with national security.
Social media reports claim that Taliban can buy latest US equipment, uniform and communication units from Afghan Army including army-issued M16 rifles.
“Everything is on sale in Afghanistan and you just need money and right people to buy whatever you wish”, commented a blogger while writing about Afghan security situation.
“People are using the army ranger vehicles for their own personal business. There is no accountability in this government. What can I say? There’s nothing I can do”, commented one injured soldier in Mizar-i-Sharif hospital while talking to Tolo News.
