An Afghan police commander and a group of junior officers under his command have defected to the Taliban in Afghanistan's western Farah province, media reports citing officials said Tuesday.
The police commander, identified only as Mirwais, was in charge of a checkpoint in the Shewan village of Bala Boluk district when he defected along with twelve of his junior officers to the Taliban.
Officials said Mirwais and his fellow-defectors made the move on Sunday after poisoning seven of their comrades who refused to be persuaded into joining the Islamist insurgent group.
The poisoned policemen are currently receiving medical attention at a hospital in Farah, and an investigation has been launched into the incident.
It is understood that the defectors have taken heavy weaponry, radios and police vehicles including two US-made armored Humvees along with them. The incident marks the largest defection by police in recent years in Afghanistan.
Incidentally, most of western Afghanistan, including Farah province that borders Iran, have been relatively peaceful when compared to the volatile southern and eastern parts of the war-torn nation.
The NATO-led foreign coalition forces in Afghanistan are presently making efforts to get the Afghan security forces ready and capable of handling local security prior to the coalition's planned withdrawal by the end of 2014.
However, there are wide concerns in the South Asian country about the ability of Afghan security forces to counter the Taliban insurgency without the same level of foreign military assistance and presence.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com