Karzai pledges to rebuild Marjah
Residents of Afghan town complain of violations after offensive against Taliban.
“The promises that we have made for security and reconstruction, we will fulfil them. Are you against me or with me? Are you going to support me?”
The elders raised their hands and shouted, “We are with you. We are supporting you.”
Losing patience
But the elders also complained about looted shops, house searches, civilian casualties, arrests and instances of international forces using schools as military bases during the offensive.
The said they wanted clinics and schools, and were losing patience with the central government’s inability to provide services.
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The Marjah offensive was an early test of the new strategy of Barack Obama, the US president, to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to win control of Taliban-held areas and put in a civilian administration.
“The people told me of their problems with sincerity and clarity. God willing, we will try to solve your problems,” Karzai told reporters after the meeting.
“I’m glad that I had the opportunity to meet people and talk to them. At the same time it’s a source of sadness that these people have suffered by the Afghan government and the foreigners.”
Karzai’s visit came amid reports of clashes between the Taliban and rival fighters in the northeast of the country.
At least 50 fighters were killed after the clash in Baghlan province, Afghan officials said.
Mohammad Akbar Barakzai, the governor of Baghlan, said that Sunday’s fighting was continuing, with the fighters using heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
Zalmai Mangal, a local police official, said the fighting appears to have resulted from a power struggle between local Taliban forces and the Hezb-e-Islami faction loyal to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a powerful regional commander.
Among the dead were 35 fighters from Hezb-e-Islami and 15 from the Taliban, Mangal said.
Battle for control
He said that Taliban fighters reportedly had moved into villages that traditionally were controlled by Hezb-e-Islami before the clashes began.
Officials said that the fighters were apparently battling for control of several villages where the central government has almost no presence.
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Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from Kabul, the Afghan capital, said: “There’s been fighting in the north of Afghanistan, very near the very top of the country.
“That battle is between the Taliban and the group that’s normally seen as one of the Taliban’s allies – Hezb-e-Islami.
“We had this confirmed to Al Jazeera by Hezb-e-Islami commander. They say that their Hezb-e-Islami forces were told to swear allegiance to Mullar Omar [the Taliban leader].
“They say they are allies [and that] they don’t take direct orders from the Taliban. And these clashes have been under way, we understand, for more than 24 hours. Government sources are telling us that at least 50 fighters on both sides have been killed.”
Violent clashes between anti-government fighters are rare, although various militias have their own agendas and power struggles are relatively common.