With Afghanistan’s central province of Parwan reeling in the aftermath of devastating floods that left over 100 dead and at least 250 wounded, the Taliban open fired on four civilians who were fleeing the worst-hit areas on Thursday.
The firing took place as Taliban fighters clashed with Afghan troops, even though both sides are currently supposed to be observing a peace deal.
“Taliban fighters opened fire on civilians fleeing areas worst hit by the flash floods,” Reuters reported Bagram district official Abdul Shukoor Qudoosi as saying. "Taliban were clashing with Afghan forces and they killed civilians who were in an autorickshaw near an army checkpoint," he told the agency, adding that they may have mistaken the civilians for soldiers.
Bagram, where the clash took place, is also home to Afghanistan’s largest remaining US base.
Over 1,500 homes were destroyed by the monsoon flooding, triggered by torrential rain that caused flash floods, Reuters reported officials as saying.
President Ashraf Ghani President Ghani held a virtual teleconference with the Governor of Parwan on Wednesday night, and provided assurance that the government would mobilize all its resources to deliver assistance to the flood-affected people.
