Taliban terms house-to-house searches in Kabul as 'clearing ops'

Kabul [Afghanistan], February 28 : The Taliban on Sunday defended its decision to conduct house-to-house searches in Kabul, saying that many weapons and ammunition were captured during the so-called clearing "operations."
These operations, which started last week, reportedly focused on people associated with the previous government regime and the US-led foreign forces who withdrew last August.
Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said recent house clearings were intended to catch criminals, some of whom were released from prison during the change of government.
According to some Kabul residents, their houses were raided by the Taliban.
Mujahid said women were among the Taliban forces searching homes, and only "suspected areas" were searched. "Nine kidnappers, six affiliated with Daesh (IS), and 53 robbers were detained," the Taliban spokesperson said quoted as saying by TOLOnews.
Ali Yasar, a resident of Kabul, said Taliban members said that the family should remain inside the house. "They looked everywhere except one room where women were," Yasar said.
Another resident said there was a woman among them. "They entered the houses and conducted the searches in a good way," said Mohammad Rafi, a resident of Kabul.
Earlier, some of the residents in Kabul had complained about the house-to-house search by the Taliban.