31 December 2016

News Story: Officials Move To ‘Withdraw’ Troops From Baghlan-e-Markazi

By Hamid Shirzai

Documents in TOLOnews’ possession show the Baghlan military council has decided to withdraw Afghan National Army (ANA) forces from two large military bases, Alavuddin and Mangalha, which are in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of Baghlan province.

The documents show that the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) police chief and governor of Baghlan signed the order which states security forces should withdraw from the two  military bases.

Of the officials who signed the document, only Noor Habib Gulbahari, Baghlan police chief, shared his views with TOLOnews in this regard.

He said he was not aware of the importance of the military bases in Baghlan-e-Markazi when signing the document.

“Now as I look at the region, I am against this decision because if we withdraw from here, the enemy can easily go to Baghlan-e-Markazi,” Gulbahari said.

Baghlan provincial council however warned that if security forces withdraw from the region, more than 13 villages and two military bases will fall to the Taliban.

Read the full story at TOLOnews