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Return of govt lands demanded

Afghan tribal leaders issues ultimatum to Taliban

KABUL: Tribal leaders in four Afghan provinces have threatened an uprising against the ruling Taliban over land they say was seized by local officials, residents from the areas said on Tuesday.

They said if the land was not returned by February 4 tribal leaders in Paktiya, Khost, Pakitka and Gardez provinces would lead a "Jehad" (holy war) against the Taliban, who took control of the areas five years ago before sweeping to power in Kabul.

"Some 400 tribal elders representing various groups in the provinces issued the 15-day ultimatum (on January 21) demanding the return of government lands," said one person who travelled from the southeastern provinces on the border with Pakistan.

A second traveller said: "They say if the Taliban fail to do so, they will lead a Jehad against the local Taliban leaders."

A businessman who returned to Kabul from Khost said tribal leaders also wanted to know what happened to tax revenues.

"They want to know what happened to the customs and municipality revenues since the Taliban came. The Taliban have not spent any money on reconstruction work, so where is the money?" he said.

The travellers said tribal leaders in Khost were the most dissatisfied.

The ultimatum was reported by several other people who had recently left the provinces and was also published in The Daily Sahaar, a Pakistani-based Afghan newspaper.

Taliban officials in Kabul dismissed the reports.

"The report has no truth in it. The people have not issued an ultimatum because the same people invited the Taliban in the first place," Information Minister Mawlair Qudratullah told Reuters.

He added that reports the governor of Khost had fled were false.

If word of the ultimatum and other problems is true it would mark the first time local leaders had protested against the Taliban, who now control around 90 percent of the country.

The Taliban were welcomed in many areas because they clamped down on corruption and crime.

The reports said the dispute was not connected to the civil war the Taliban are waging with the opposition Northern Alliance, which controls the remaining 10 percent of the country.

There have previously been complaints in the capital Kabul and some other provinces of local Taliban leaders selling land with forged document.-Reuters