QUETTA, Feb 21: One person was killed and another was injured seriously when fighting erupted between local people and forces of the Kandahar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai in Weesh town in Afghanistan, close to Chaman, on Thursday.

An Afghan border official confirmed the fighting and said that people opened fire on official forces that had asked them to hand over their weapons.

“A group of local people refused to hand over their weapons and resisted, which resulted in fighting,” Zalmay Khan, a spokesman for the Afghan Foreign Office in Spin Buldak, told this correspondent over telephone.

Forces loyal to Governor Sherzai have launched a campaign to disarm the people in Kandahar and other areas of the province.

“Yes, one person died in fighting,” Zulmay Khan confirmed adding that an injured man was shifted to Quetta for treatment of bullet injuries.

Sources said that fighting erupted in Weesh when officials raided an area in the main trading centre and tried to seize weapons from the people. The people refused to hand over their weapons and resisted.

In the meantime, hundreds of people gathered and started pelting stones on the forces, leading to an exchange of fire.

After receiving reports about the firing, more forces rushed to the area and took position.

During the firing, Abdul Hameed and Janan received injuries.

Hameed succumbed to his injuries before getting any treatment and the other injured was rushed to Chaman hospital for treatment. He was later shifted to Quetta as his injuries were serious.

The exchange of fire continued for an hour.

Later, the official forces took control of the area and dispersed the people, who were protesting against the killing.

“Kandahar administration had already decided not to allow anybody to possess weapons,” Zulmay Khan said and added that a group of armed men was present at the trading centre when official forces raided the area for the recovery of illegal weapons.

“Armed Taliban and members of Osama’s Al Qaeda are still present in the Kandahar region. We are not ready to take any risk,” he said.

He said Gul Agha was not ready to compromise on the recovery of illegal weapons.

After the fighting, the situation was tense and administration of Spin Buldok had deployed heavy contingent of forces in the area.

A delegation of the trade centre of Weesh would leave for Kandahar for meeting the governor to inform him about the situation and demand arrest of those responsible for the killing.

The Afghan government is reportedly facing strong resistance in its campaign for seizing weapons.