Afghan officials say that Salma hydroelectric dam has been hit by the Taliban rockets since Monday and warned if not prevented the dam will be destroyed.
Salma dam in Cheshte Sharif district of western Herat province is one of the largest and key dams of Afghanistan providing irrigation water and electricity for hundreds of thousands of families in the province.
Officials warned if damaged, the lack of water will adversely affect agriculture in adjacent districts of Herat province.
Authorities in National Water Affairs Regulatory Authority say that rockets and artillery shells landed close to the dam but the dam itself is not hit yet.
As per National Water Affairs Regulatory Authority, the dam is currently irrigating land in eight districts of the province.
The agency in a plea asked the Taliban to not target and destroy national asset.
The militants have not commented on the issue yet.
Salma dam in the biggest project in Afghanistan launched after the ouster of then-president Daoud Khan. The dam was then completed by India in 2016 and was jointly inaugurated by President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendar Modi.
