[cr-india] Taliban burn down radio station

[George Lessard]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [Mena] Radio Yawali Ghag of Sayedabad district was burned down by
Taliban last night.
From:    "tamara aqrabawe" <tamaranet1 at hotmail.com>
Date:    Sun, August 12, 2007 00:47
To:      "asiapacific-general at lists.amarc.org"
<asiapacific-general at lists.amarc.org>
         mena at lists.amarc.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanjar  Qiam of Salamwatandar network wrote :    
sanjar.qiam at salamwatandar.com

Radio Yawali Ghag of Sayedabad district was burned down by Taliban last
night.

A large number of Taliban fighters attacked the southern district of
Sayedabad in Wardak province at around 02:00 AM today. A fierce battle
broke out between police and Taliban using small arms and RPGs. The fight
continued for three hours until the dawn, Taliban fled when Army
reinforcements arrived from Kabul. A talib fighter body is left at the
scene; however the accurate number of casualties from both sides is not
yet confirmed.


In the first hour of attack, a group of ten or twelve came to the radio
station, tied up and beaten the guard. "they took one computer and the
guard with them, but burned down everything else" said Hazratuddin Nosrat
manager of yawalighag radio station. The guard was later found alive in
the mountains.

Radio yawalighag is a community radio station and an affiliate of salam
watandar network. The station was broadcasting around ten hours a day,
including four hours of salam watandar. The radio station board adopted an
editorial policy inline with the local culture. "we had appropriate
programs. In sayedabad we have to strictly adhere with Islamic principles"

said hazratuddin Nosrat. The radio station since its establishment has
managed a good community relation. it was never threaten by Taliban or any
other group. The destruction of the station wasn't a deliberate target but
rather an opportunistic sabotage action. According to radio station guard,
the Taliban could have been local, they had a wardak accent.


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