Provincial Council Elections

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A Taliban militant’s plan to carry out suicide attack in northern Balkh province with alleged support by former Provincial Council (PC) members has been foiled, several PC members claim on Tuesday.
Mohammad Amin Dara Sufi, head of provincial council, told Pajhwok Afghan News a former PC members who could not win last election had planned a suicidal attack on the provincial council members.

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Religious scholars and tribal elders in southeastern Khost province on Tuesday said “illegal distribution” of weapons to residents in northern provinces would lead the country to another crisis.
Speaking at a gathering to voice support for the ongoing peace process, they claimed some circles wanted to derail the peace parlays for their own interests.
Besides religious scholars and tribal elders, the gathering was attended by civil society activists, provincial council members and others in Khost City, the provincial capital.

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): An advisory mini-jirga involving university teachers, civil society activists and media representatives has been formed to voluntarily work with the education department to improve teaching standards in southern Kandahar province.
The 11-member jirga on Tuesday called on Governor Dr. Humayun Aziz at the governor’s house, where Education Director Abdul Qadir Piwaston was also present.

Jirga formed to resolve Kandahar education problems

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): Daesh fighters led by Saad Emarati fled to undisclosed area after finding themselves under immense pressure from the Taliban in central Logar, an official said on Tuesday.
Hasibullah Stanikzi, head of the provincial council, told Pajhwok Afghan News Emarati -- known for his brutality and involved in killing dozens of innocent people -- had fled the area.
Emarati is a Daesh leader in Logar, where he was living in Khokhi district and was active in Azra, Charkh and Khushi towns, Stanikzai recalled.

Taliban pressure Daesh commander into fleeing Logar

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): The embattled Kohistanat district of northern Sar-i-Pul province has fallen to the Taliban, an official acknowledged on Tuesday.
Mohammad Asif Jabbarkhail, police chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News the district was captured by the Taliban after a commander of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) joined them.
At least 17 Afghan National Policemen (ANP) personnel and the district police chief had been missing since the militants overran the district, he added.

Kohistanat district falls as ALP commander defects

KUNDUZ (Pajhwok): The Kunduz provincial council on Saturday said regaining control of Dasht-i-Archi district was beyond the capability of local forces.
It urged the government to conduct major operations and send reinforcements to
Dasht-i-Archi, which fell to insurgents one month ago.
Mohammad Yousuf Ayubi, provincial council head, blamed the Kunduz administration for its negligence that led to the fall of the district.

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Unidentified gunmen have shot dead the former provincial council (PC) head for eastern Kunar province, an official said on Saturday.
The body of Mia Hassan Adil was recovered in the limits of the Khewa district of Nangarhar province, police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Habib Syedkhel told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Adil hailed from the Manogi district of Kunar and served as provincial council chief. He was a 12th class graduate and a commander of the Hezb-i-Islami party during jihad.