Taliban kill four civilians for working with western security company

The insurgency in Afghanistan is at its peak even and unfortunately Taliban and other terrorist outfits are operating in different areas of the volatile country at will. A large area of Afghanistan is still under the control of insurgents while Hamid Karzai-led Afghan government has just reduced to the federal capital – Kabul. There is no writ of the government in a number of provinces as terrorists have established their tentacles across the country. Though NATO-led 130,000 strong troops are deployed in the violence-wracked country to break backbone of the militants but still it needs much more to achieve the desired targets.

Afghan officials told media persons on Wednesday that Taliban executed four civilians for working with a Western security company. The incident took place just a few kilometers from Kabul. It is unfortunate and an embarrassment for the security agencies as well. And also, it is not the first shameful incident. In the last week of July, the militants executed five men in the same area who were alleged to work for foreign companies as spies. In the recent incident, the bullet riddled bodies of the four men were found in the Jalrez district of Wardak province. Afghan security forces have simply failed to keep a check on such barbaric incidents.

Following any such incident, the government officials condemn the terrorists and announce crackdown against them. Search operations are launched in the areas where crime was committed and security agencies later claim of killing dozens of terrorists. This is the way the things are going on in the volatile Afghanistan. It is always horrifying the way terrorists kill people in the public. This time around, hands of the deceased were tied at their backs while dozens of bullets were pumped into their chests. The victims are always branded by the Taliban as traitors and working for foreign agencies as spies.

Afghan army General Abdul Razaq Safi confirmed the incident while speaking to media persons. He said the Taliban killed the persons as they worked for a foreign company. Taliban have already warned people of attacks who work for foreign companies; so in Afghanistan the people even cannot earn their livelihood. The government has totally failed to provide security to life and property of citizens. The four ill-fated men were captured by Taliban on Tuesday while they were travelling to work from Kabul. It is alarming for many and can be more horrific after 2014 as the United States-led coalition forces plan to withdraw from Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

The United States should reconsider its decision of pulling out troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014 as Afghan security forces are still not capable enough to deal with the insurgents and terrorists.