The Taliban staged attacks and other “violent activities” in at least 22 provinces over the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday as prospects to end to the deadly conflict in the country remain uncertain.
“The Taliban staged attacks on the security outposts and check points of the Afghan security forces in 22 provinces over the past 24 hours, but the brave members of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces repelled all the attacks and foiled their evil plans. The security forces also inflicted heavy casualties to the insurgents,” said Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.
Referring to the Taliban violence, the acting minister of interior affairs, Massoud Andarabi, said the Taliban is losing the opportunity provided to them by the Afghan people for peace.
“These attacks that the Taliban has launched across Afghanistan indicate that the Taliban is not using the opportunity given to them by the people of Afghanistan for peace and reconciliation,” said Andarabi.
Afghan lawmakers warned that continued violence by the warring sides will affect the ongoing Afghan peace efforts.
“Unfortunately, increased attacks are changing the people’s hopes to disappointment,” said Gul Ahmad Noorzad, an MP.
But a Taliban spokesman has said that they have “never” made a commitment to halt the fight against the Afghan security forces.
The US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace Zalmay Khalilzad in an interview with TOLOnews on March 11 said the Talban as part of the Doha peace agreement pledged to reduce violence and avoid attacks on provincial capitals.
“Attacks should not be launched on the cities—it means attacks will not happen on the center of 34 provinces,” said Khalilzad at the time.
Fresh waves of violence has been reported in Kabul, Helmand, Nimroz, Maidan Wardak, Badakhshan, Ghazni, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Faryba and Ghazni.
A Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the Taliban’s agreement was only with the US, stating that there is a need for a separate agreement with the Afghan forces.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a press conference with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar in New Delhi described India as Washington’s strategic ally and said that both countries are supporting peace in Afghanistan.
“The United States values India as a multilateral partner,” Pompeo said, adding that the United States and India were also cooperating to make the Afghan peace process successful.
“Discussions also covered developments in our neighboring countries,” Jaishankar said. “We made clear that cross-border terrorism is completely unacceptable.”
On Tuesday evening, Khalilzad Khalilzad said in a series of tweets that he has returned to the region, “but disappointed that violence has continued despite the commitments made before.”
“Afghans need to pivot to development instead of destruction, stability instead of chaos, forgiveness instead of vengeance, compromise instead of inflexibility,” Khalilzad said. “Afghans are dying at a high rate, and regional spoilers are using Afghans as cannon fodder for their illegitimate objectives. Bloodshed must end.”
He concluded that “Afghans need to pivot to development instead of destruction, stability instead of chaos, forgiveness instead of vengeance, compromise instead of inflexibility.” https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-167348
