Iranian revolutionary guards killed three armed Afghan bandits in a region along the eastern border with Afghanistan, reported the official Iranian news agency (IRNA), citing a press report on Tuesday.
The daily Qods said two other Afghan bandits were injured in the shootout, which occurred Monday in Kabir-Kouh region in the upper border province of Khorassan.
Drug trafficking is a major activity of Afghan outlaws operating along the country's 900-kilometer eastern border with Afghanistan, a major producer of narcotic drugs.
Security problems have intensified in recent months with reports of armed bandits holding civilians in the region hostage for ransom or as drug sellers.
Residents of over 1,100 villages along the border with Afghanistan have now been armed in a bid to counter the threat posed by such criminal elements – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
