(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) KABUL - Senior Afghan and US officials on Thursday visited Paktia to assesssecurity situation as well as the claims of civilian casualties in a governmentforces operation in the province.
Acting Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid, Acting Interior Minister MassoudAndarabi, head of the National Directorate of Security Masoom Stanekzai and theUS and NATO forces commander in Afghanistan Gen. Scott Miller held talks withlocal officials during this trip, Paktia governor's media office said in astatement.
On August 13, a number of Paktia tribal elders and residents claimed thatat least 11 people were taken out of their homes and were killed the '01 Unitof the National Directorate of Security at a night raid in Zurmat district onAugust 11.
The operation was carried out in Gulal Koh village.
The National Directorate of Security (NDS) in a statement said that atleast 11 militants including two commanders of the Taliban were killed in aspecial operation in Zurmat district. This statement is rejected by localresidents.
The officials held talks with Paktia governor Shamim Khan Katawazai,Paktika governor Mujib-Ur-Rahman Samkanai, the Commander of 203 Corps Brig.Gen. Khanullah Shuja, the provincial NDS chief Major Gen. Qadr Mohammad Qadr,the statement said.
The statement added that the officials discussed the security situation andclaims of civilian casualties in a government forces operation in Zurmatdistrict and assigned a probe team to assess the incident.
The officials called on Paktia and Paktika governors to have a 'directrole in the assessment of the Zurmat incident, the statement said.
The Defense Ministry in a statement confirmed the visit but said theofficials assessed the security situation in the south-eastern provinces inthis trip.
According to Paktia residents and tribal elders, Hayatullah, an employee ofMinistry of Education in Kabul; Mohammad Shafi, a teacher; Ansarullah, astudent at Paktia University; and Akhtar Mohammad, a student at KabulUniversity who went to visit their families in Zurmat district, as well asMohammad Asif, principal of Dawlat Khan School in Zurmat; Inam, a madrassastudent; Rahmatullah; Hekmatullah; and Nusratullah (who are brothers), Fida Mohammad,Nasrullah and Fathullah, farmers in the district, are the 11 people who theresidents said were killed in the raid. (Tolo news)
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