Kabul, July 27 (Newswire): Many residents of Afghanistan's troubled Wardak province welcomed the arrest of a former interpreter for U.S. special-operations forces who was allegedly involved in the killing, torture and abuse of local residents, saying his prosecution would ease tensions with the central government.
In a statement released, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security said its officers had detained Zakaria Kandahari in the southern city of Kandahar. The spy agency said he was arrested in possession of a pistol and several false identity cards.
While the statement didn't elaborate on the reasons for Mr. Kandahari's detention, Attaullah Khogyany, spokesman for the Wardak provincial government, said he faced charges of murder, torture and theft.
"We have received instruction from the central government to tell the people who have been victimized by him to prepare and file their formal complaints," Mr. Khogyany said.
The detention of Mr. Kandahari was the latest twist in a controversy that also strained relations between Kabul and its Western allies.
President Hamid Karzai was angered by allegations from Wardak residents that Afghans working with the special-operations forces had unlawfully detained, tortured and killed civilians in February. Mr. Karzai ordered the American units to pull out of the area.
In a compromise, the U.S.-led coalition agreed to withdraw special-operations forces from the district of Nerkh, the rural area of Wardak nearest to Kabul.
The U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force strenuously denied any involvement of coalition forces in abuse or murder of civilians, and officials said insurgents in some cases were encouraging abuse claims as part of a propaganda effort.
Khalilullah Ibrahimkhil, a tribal elder of Ibrahimkhil village of the Maidan Shahr district in Wardak, called the detention of Mr. Kandahari a "good deed" by Afghan security forces.
"He has done inhuman deeds here," he said. "His detention will bring people closer to the government."
Mr. Kandahari, whose detention was earlier reported by the New York Times, had worked as an interpreter for a U.S. special-forces operational detachment.
In December, a video surfaced of Mr. Kandahari allegedly beating an Afghan man in Wardak. Mr. Kandahari was subsequently detained but managed to escape custody before he could be handed over to Afghan authorities.
"After thorough investigation, there was no credible evidence to substantiate misconduct by ISAF or U.S. forces relating to the detainees or deaths in Nerkh," said U.S. Army Col. Jane Crichton, a spokeswoman for the U.S.-led coalition. "A thorough review of the video confirmed that there were no coalition forces present or involved in the incident."
Outrage in Wardak was further stoked by the February abduction and killing of a university student named Nasratullah, whose nearly decapitated body was found under a bridge in Ibrahimkhil village. Awal Khan, Nasratullah's brother, expressed concern that Mr. Kandahari would walk free again.
"He may be arrested for several days and then he will be released," he said. "The special forces haven't only killed my brother but they have oppressed people all over Maidan Wardak."
Mr. Khan said he wanted the Afghan government to either hand over those responsible for torturing and killing civilians to local people—or hang them in public.
Wardak is one of the key provinces that rings the Afghan capital. While local officials expressed concern that the withdrawal of coalition special-operations teams would worsen security in the area, locals who spoke to The Wall Street Journal said security had recently improved in Nerkh.
Adding to the mystery, Afghan officials also described Mr. Kandahari as having U.S. citizenship.
"After a thorough search, as far as we have been able to determine, he isn't an American citizen," said a U.S. official. "And in fact one indication is that he has not contacted the U.S. Embassy, which would be expected in these types of cases."
News of the arrest came as President Karzai announced a broad amnesty for prisoners ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement released by the presidential palace, Mr. Karzai said he would set free individuals sentenced to less than five years' imprisonment, provided they weren't accused of acts of terrorism.
In a separate statement, Mr. Karzai also lashed out at Taliban insurgents, who recently opened an office in the Gulf emirate of Qatar to facilitate peace talks, a move viewed with suspicion by Kabul.
"Neither their dignity nor their flag is safe in other countries, foreigners only use them as a tool," Mr. Karzai said.
In a statement released, Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security said its officers had detained Zakaria Kandahari in the southern city of Kandahar. The spy agency said he was arrested in possession of a pistol and several false identity cards.
While the statement didn't elaborate on the reasons for Mr. Kandahari's detention, Attaullah Khogyany, spokesman for the Wardak provincial government, said he faced charges of murder, torture and theft.
"We have received instruction from the central government to tell the people who have been victimized by him to prepare and file their formal complaints," Mr. Khogyany said.
The detention of Mr. Kandahari was the latest twist in a controversy that also strained relations between Kabul and its Western allies.
President Hamid Karzai was angered by allegations from Wardak residents that Afghans working with the special-operations forces had unlawfully detained, tortured and killed civilians in February. Mr. Karzai ordered the American units to pull out of the area.
In a compromise, the U.S.-led coalition agreed to withdraw special-operations forces from the district of Nerkh, the rural area of Wardak nearest to Kabul.
The U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force strenuously denied any involvement of coalition forces in abuse or murder of civilians, and officials said insurgents in some cases were encouraging abuse claims as part of a propaganda effort.
Khalilullah Ibrahimkhil, a tribal elder of Ibrahimkhil village of the Maidan Shahr district in Wardak, called the detention of Mr. Kandahari a "good deed" by Afghan security forces.
"He has done inhuman deeds here," he said. "His detention will bring people closer to the government."
Mr. Kandahari, whose detention was earlier reported by the New York Times, had worked as an interpreter for a U.S. special-forces operational detachment.
In December, a video surfaced of Mr. Kandahari allegedly beating an Afghan man in Wardak. Mr. Kandahari was subsequently detained but managed to escape custody before he could be handed over to Afghan authorities.
"After thorough investigation, there was no credible evidence to substantiate misconduct by ISAF or U.S. forces relating to the detainees or deaths in Nerkh," said U.S. Army Col. Jane Crichton, a spokeswoman for the U.S.-led coalition. "A thorough review of the video confirmed that there were no coalition forces present or involved in the incident."
Outrage in Wardak was further stoked by the February abduction and killing of a university student named Nasratullah, whose nearly decapitated body was found under a bridge in Ibrahimkhil village. Awal Khan, Nasratullah's brother, expressed concern that Mr. Kandahari would walk free again.
"He may be arrested for several days and then he will be released," he said. "The special forces haven't only killed my brother but they have oppressed people all over Maidan Wardak."
Mr. Khan said he wanted the Afghan government to either hand over those responsible for torturing and killing civilians to local people—or hang them in public.
Wardak is one of the key provinces that rings the Afghan capital. While local officials expressed concern that the withdrawal of coalition special-operations teams would worsen security in the area, locals who spoke to The Wall Street Journal said security had recently improved in Nerkh.
Adding to the mystery, Afghan officials also described Mr. Kandahari as having U.S. citizenship.
"After a thorough search, as far as we have been able to determine, he isn't an American citizen," said a U.S. official. "And in fact one indication is that he has not contacted the U.S. Embassy, which would be expected in these types of cases."
News of the arrest came as President Karzai announced a broad amnesty for prisoners ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement released by the presidential palace, Mr. Karzai said he would set free individuals sentenced to less than five years' imprisonment, provided they weren't accused of acts of terrorism.
In a separate statement, Mr. Karzai also lashed out at Taliban insurgents, who recently opened an office in the Gulf emirate of Qatar to facilitate peace talks, a move viewed with suspicion by Kabul.
"Neither their dignity nor their flag is safe in other countries, foreigners only use them as a tool," Mr. Karzai said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment