PUL-I-ALAM (PAN): Senior Afghan officials on Sunday blamed neighbouring countries for hiring insurgent groups to damage the Ainak mine -- tipped as the world’s largest copper reserves -- in Central Logar province.
The allegation came at a high-level meeting between provincial officials and Interior Minister Bismillah Muhammadi, who travelled to Logar to assess the security situation there.
“It is a major financial resource and specific groups have been trained by neighbouring countries to scuttle the project. There is no adequate policing in the province,” said provincial council chief Dr. Abdul Wali Wakil.
The mine is said to contain 12 million tonnes of copper deposits.
Governor Attiqullah Lodin said: “Some insurgents are trying to sneak into Logar, a strategic province.”
A commander of the 505th Spinghar police zone, Brig. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, said: “Despite threats from Taliban, security forces have been able to maintain security, but more policemen are needed.”
On his part, Muhammadi promised that an additional 600 local policemen would be deployed to the resource-rich province.
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