Afghanistan: Authorities ban rickshaw pullers from carrying armed passengers in Nangarhar

The authorities of the Nangarhar province in Afghanistan directed the rickshaw pullers to refrain from providing a ride to the armed passengers in the provincial capital of Jalalabad, reported news agency Sputnik. The authorities warned the offenders would be given strict punishment. "Rickshaw runners will be forbidden from carrying armed people, and offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Russian News Agency quoted the governor's office statement. Meanwhile, the all-men government also directed their own people not to carry arms in rickshaws.

The order appealed to citizens to report armed passengers

The latest order also appealed to the citizens to inform the security personnel if they witness any armed people taking a ride of rickshaws, Sputnik reported. Notably, the order came after a bomb exploded in a pickup truck carrying Taliban terrorists in Jalalabad on September 19 this year. The explosion killed at least three people and left dozen injured. It is worth mentioning the explosion took place a day after three died and more than 20 injured in a sequence of three blasts in the capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province. According to Sputnik, the blasts were aimed at the Taliban. The local health officials told Khaama Press that three of the victims were civilians while others were from the Taliban. 

As per the reports of the Express Tribune, a total of 55 Islamic State (IS) jihadists had surrendered in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday. The announcement was made by the head of the intelligence agency in Nangarhar province, Mohammad Bashir. According to him, a total of 55 members of Daesh (the IS) group gave up fighting and surrendered to the provincial department of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in Nangarhar, following efforts by local leaders.

Afghans facing religious attacks

It is worth mentioning that the condition of the war-torn country deteriorated after the extremist group took control from the democratic government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban formed an interim government nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. Moreover, the country has also been facing serious threats from religious groups. The country has recently encountered a series of deadly bomb blasts in which more than 60 people lost their lives while praying at Imam Bargah-e-Fatima Mosque on October 15.

Earlier, a Shiite mosque was targeted by a massive explosion that severely injured over 83 people. The Islamic State (ISIS-K), which has been contesting the Taliban for power in Afghanistan, later claimed responsibility for the attack. In the aftermath of the attack, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemned the incident and highlighted the need to bring the assassins to justice. 

With inputs from ANI

Image: ANI