Afghanistan To Continue Antipoppy Campaign After Shootout

13 April 2005 -- An Afghan official today said that Afghanistan will continue its campaign to destroy opium crops, a day after a deadly shootout between antinarcotics forces and farmers in southern Kandahar Province.

AP quoted Deputy Interior Minister General Mohammad Daoud as saying the campaign will continue in Kandahar tomorrow after a brief suspension of operations today.

Yesterday, antidrug forces and poppy farmers clashed after farmers protested the arrival of tractors escorted by security forces to destroy their poppy fields.

One civilian was killed and at least six other people were injured in a brief gunbattle.

(AP/AFP)