Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

On Worsening Security Situation

The security situation in Kabul appears to be very tense after the tragic incident on Wednesday. Following that attack, on Friday, about 5 people were killed by the clashes that erupted between the security forces and the protestors who had gathered on the streets of Kabul against Wednesday’s incident. On Saturday another tragic incident took place during the funeral of a Senator’s son, who was killed in the protest. Three suicide bombers targeted the funeral in cemetery at Khair Khana in Kabul. The attack resulted in the death of 20 people and injury more than 87 others. The incident further sparked the emotions of the people who were already protesting against the rising insecurity. The situation has now turned to be very fragile, and it will definitely test the unity of the people of Afghanistan and the capability of its leaders to tackle the situation without inviting further instability and chaos.
Meanwhile, there are hundreds of protestors who have gathered around Emergency Hospital, and they are in a state of protest against the security officials. They demand resignation of key security officials after three tragic incidents in Kabul in just five days. President Ashraf Ghani, meanwhile, has asked for harmony and unity, but that is very difficult to see among the angry protestors. It is really vital that the protestors should be tackled with proper diplomacy, their voices should be heard, and the officials must ensure that they pursue the real causes of the recent violence. 
Meanwhile, The Special Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador for the U.S to Kabul, Hugo Llorens, has also called on all Afghans to unite “during this painful time”. He said in a statement on Saturday, which summarizes the situation very well, “Grief can be a powerful motivator and I urge all Afghans and the international community to come together during this painful time… Friday’s protests reflect the frustration of many Afghans. While peaceful demonstrations are welcome in a democracy, some narrow political elements used this opportunity to spark violence, resulting in more death and suffering, compounding the grief… Now is the time to stand unified and announce to the enemies loud and clear that Afghans, along with their international partners, will not allow cowards to break the Afghan resolve to achieve a prosperous, stable, and peaceful nation that they have long deserved. The enemies of Afghanistan cannot win. They will not win.”
It is really vital for Afghan people and authorities not to get distracted as the terrorists and enemies of Afghanistan want. They should be responsible and sensible enough to remain united and face the ongoing challenges with required will and determination. The terrorists want them to be disunited so that they are able to launch their filthy objectives. They want to ignite another civil war so that Afghanistan is not able to come out of instability and chaos; therefore, it is vital to see the traces of the conspiracy that is being built in the country.
It is really unfortunate for Afghanistan that even after so many sacrifices that are given by the country, the prospects of peace and tranquility are not very optimistic. The insecurity seems to be on the rise in different parts of the country and the response of the relevant authorities are not truly effective. It seems the authorities do not have any clear idea about how to tackle the situation and help the country go through this crucial period with triumph, and now the people are being distracted as well, which is making the task even more challenging.  
On the other hand, Taliban and Daesh have spread their networks in different provinces and everyday show their presence in some way or the other. Sometimes they target the innocent civilians and at others they target the security personnel. Afghan security forces, on most of the occasions, take actions only after such incidents and calm down the situation temporarily. When the situation seems to be normalized, the insurgents again move forward and make their attacks. In fact, the security forces do not seem to have a proactive approach, which may be because of lack of any clear strategy in the top rankings of the government officials, who, themselves, are involved in their own differences instead of standing united to counter the growing threats of Taliban and Daesh.
If the authorities do not get really serious and determined to solve the security issues, it may start haunting Afghanistan to a great extent and may even undo the achievements that have been acquired in the last 17 years. The insurgents will keep on carrying out their activities and terrorize the people of Afghanistan like they are doing now. The current situation clearly highlights the fact that the insurgents are not even inclined towards peace process.
However, before any hopes of acquiring peace and tranquility can be turned into reality, the security forces and government authorities must make sure that they fulfill their responsibilities with determination and untiring efforts. Definitely, Afghan people have given many sacrifices and after so many sacrifices, it is important that Afghanistan should see a future full of peace and tranquility; however, for that to happen it is imperative that Afghan leadership must prove itself capable of designing and following a workable strategy to counter terrorism in true sense.