Electricity supply from Uzbekistan to Kabul has been snapped as a result of a Taliban attack on a power pylon in northern Baghlan province, a senior official said on Wednesday.
Governor Abdul Sattar Barez told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants blew up the power pylon in Dand-i-Shahabuddin area on the highway connecting Pul-i-Khumri with Kunduz province.
A day earlier, security forces launched a massive clearing operation in the Dand-i-Ghori area on the outskirts of the capital. With a population of 30,000, the area has been under Taliban’s control for the past nine months.
Barez said the insurgents had destroyed the pole to mount pressure on the government and divert security forces’ attention from Dand-i-Ghori to Dand-i-Shahabuddin. “But the security personnel will clear Dand-i-Shahabuddin soon to pave the way for repairing the pylon.”
In Kabul, Breshna Shirkat (power utility) officials confirmed the overnight attack in Baghlan had cut off 250 megawatts of electricity supply to the capital. Last night, important facilities in Kabul, including hospitals, were provided thermal electricity.
Breshna Shirkat spokesman Tawhidullah Tawhidi told Pajhwok that a technical team, equipped with the required tools, had reached the areas last night. But ongoing clashes at the site do not allow them to start repairing the tower.
As of 8.30am, he had no information about the security situation the area. “If allowed to work, our technical personnel will hopefully repair the pylon in three to four hours,” the spokesman said.
