Taliban on hunger strike
2009-11-11 21:14
Kandahar - Hundreds of Taliban insurgents held in an Afghan prison have been on hunger strike for three days to demand improved conditions, an official and a prisoner said on Wednesday.
Referring to the militants as "political prisoners", Toryalai Wesa, governor of southern Kandahar province, said all 350 Taliban held in Sarpoza prison had been refusing food since Sunday.
Local police, intelligence officials and a justice ministry delegation visited the prison to hear their demands in a failed bid to end the hunger strike, he said.
"A mixed delegation of religious leaders, Kandahar government officials, provincial council members and tribal elders is preparing to talk to them and end the strike," he said.
Demands
One of the prisoners, who gave his name as Hafizullah, told AFP the strikers had four demands and would refuse food until they were met.
"Our demands are that we are well treated, our visitors are not mistreated or subject to surveillance, and that we have better food and healthcare," he said by telephone.
Taliban spokesperson Yousuf Ahmadi, speaking from an undisclosed location, said the hunger strike resulted from insults made by a "pro-government warrior" that led to a fight.
"He insulted the Taliban leadership, so the Taliban beat him up, then prison officers beat the Taliban so badly they were sent to hospital," he said.
Main jail
The Sarpoza prison is the main jail in Kandahar city, capital of Kandahar province and the militants' spiritual capital despite the US-led overthrow of the Taliban regime in Kabul in 2001.
Up to 1 000 Taliban inmates escaped from the prison in June after a brazen suicide attack blew open the front gates and destroyed the walls.
The United States and Nato have more than 100 000 soldiers fighting with Afghan government forces to eradicate the Taliban insurgency, which has become more virulent in recent months as foreign troop numbers have risen.
US President Barack Obama is considering requests for up to 40 000 more troops.
- AFP