...Abdul Ghani Alipoor, also known as Commander Shamshir ("Commander Sword"), claims to be a commander of the Hizb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan (the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan); Hezb-e Wahdat for short, it was founded as one of the Shiite anti-Soviet mujahedin groups in the 1980s with some support from Iran, eventually becoming the Hazera movement. Defeated militarily by the Taliban, it then fell apart as a political movement, only for the name to be revived in 2014 by Alipoor in Behsud district as a local self defence group against Taliban incursions, then spread to the surrounding provinces — now about 2000 fighters look to him. Cue federal government objections...
a local commander who is accused of downing an army helicopter last month in which nine people were killed.Security forces said that at least 10 gunnies loyal to Alipoor have been killed and some vehicles that belonged to the local commander have been seized during the operation.
A TOLOnews news hound was the first to visit the crash site where the debris of the downed helicopter is still visible. A politicians’ team also visited the district on Friday.
The government said that the helicopter was downed by gunnies loyal to Alipoor on March 20. Alipoor at first took responsibility for the incident but later denied his involvement.
"He must surrender to the law or we will fight against him, whether he is killed or arrested," said Hamid Saifi, commander of the 5th regiment of 203 Thunder Corps. "We are firmly ready for this."
Alipoor’s whereabouts are still unknown.
Some residents claimed that civilians were harmed during the operation against Alipoor.
Mohammad Naqi, a resident of Behsud, claimed that a pregnant woman and a child were maimed in an
...KABOOM!...
by security forces on a house in the district.
Some operation bases belonging to Alipoor have been targeted by security forces during the operation. According to a TOLOnews news hound, parts of the main operation center belonging to Alipoor have been destroyed by airstrikes.
"13 people belonging to Alipoor have been killed. Airstrikes have been conducted following the collapse of the helicopter. The situation is now good and under control," Maidan Wardak Police Chief Wahidullah Nizami.
In response to a question on harm to civilians, Nizami said: "It is war and naturally some problems happening."
The MPs’ team who visited the district said they will assess the downing of the helicopter and claims of harm to civilians.
"We are neither in love with Alipoor nor any other person. We will support any person who will ensure our safety. There wasn’t anyone else to ensure our security," said Ramazan Saberi, a tribal elder in Behsud.
"Security forces have no right to bombard any residential house, but we should not forget that a person who lives in a place does not have the right to give sanction to the militia to enter their house from where they can attack our security forces," said Mir Haidar Afzali, head of the defense committee of the parliament.
"The only way to fight against threats to our security is through the government," said Ali Akbar Jamshidi, a member of the Behsud probe team.
According to local sources, at least 10 civilians have been killed and maimed in government forces airstrikes in Behsud.
Security forces in Behsud said their operation to retake weapons and vehicles from Alipoor and his gunnies is underway.