Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

No End to Insurgency?

Afghanistan is embroiled not only in instability, but there are many issues challenging the government. The continual terrorist attacks and suicide bombings, despite the downfall of the Taliban’s regime, are rife across the country and the issue is being desensitized. The graph of civilian casualties is mounting with each passing day. The Taliban kill civilians, Afghans count their fatalities, and the government condemns the attacks in the strongest possible way – this is the daily game in Afghanistan.
Bemoaning the victims and praying for peace and stability in the same breath have been changed into habitual action for parents in Afghanistan. Warring factions kill men, women and children without an iota of mercy, and we bury the dead bodies with a strong sense of fear and hatred, this action repeats next day.
However, the Taliban insurgents, who resort to suicide attacks with the dream of setting foot in paradise and embracing heavenly ladies with indescribable carnal desire – as they have been inculcated so – lack basic knowledge about their victims. They are kept in dark by the real game players. Poor attackers, who risk both their lives and hereafter with an illusion and mirage. Curse on those game players and corrupt figures who feel no tinge of guilt.
In addition to the endless game of life and death continuing unabated in Afghanistan, there are many challenges which hamper the government from combating this issue. One of the major obstacles before combating terrorism is the mistrust and lack of national consensus regarding peace talks within the government apparatus.
The third issue is administrative corruption within the government machinery. A number of officials, except for some, are deeply involved in corruption and their only claim to fame is to earn property from any possible way – whether or not it risk their faith or humanity. No wonder, corruption is a highly detrimental to social, political and economic issues. For example, when a murderer is released or when a person perpetrates a crime with impunity for having power or money, security will remain elusive in that society. Since Afghanistan is on top list of corrupt countries, the security situation will remain fragile.
The fourth challenging issue is that despite escalated terrorism which blackmails the entire globe, the world is lacking the spirit of brotherhood to bond them stronger. After all, a number of countries hold hostile relationships and remain political opponents. When the world is void of a sense of friendship and bonded with one another only on the basis of self-interests, the effective role of international community will come under question. In other words, being interest-orientated, the world will hardly take actions against insecurity in other countries unless their own security is exposed to direct threat. To put it succinctly, the sense of friendship and philanthropy is more likely to subside that will be a strong blow to the countries vulnerable to terrorism and militancy.
The Taliban’s relentless stance in spilling the blood of combatants and non-combatants and their refusal to declare ceasefire or reduce violence have put no end to the conflict. The Taliban elements are believed to be formed of ideologues and mercenaries and both hold out against peace or peace talks for their own reasons. The ideologues nurture highly radical mindsets and their thirst for paradise, according to their own beliefs, will be quenched only and only by death. They seek to pursue their false dream through killing people and the only solution to stop them is nothing other than shooting them on the head. The mercenary fighters intend to satiate their hunger and alleviate their economic constraints through pocketing money. Strengthening economic development and alleviating poverty will reduce their tendency towards joining militant fighters.
To mitigate insurgency, the government, in addition to focusing on peace talks, should also seek to remove the social, political and economic grounds for insurgency and the motive behind it. That is to say, militancy will continue if the root causes remain unaddressed.
In addition to combating insurgency, a reformation should be brought within the government apparatus, too. All the mentioned challenges are needed to be tackled without further delay. In such a critical time, Afghan officials have to bury their differences and stand as an iron first against warring factions, mainly the Taliban who murder our people indiscriminately. The Afghan government and its allies, along with international community, have to put their weight behind the talks ongoing in the Qatari capital of Doha and urge regional and global stakeholders to work against the hotbed of radicalism and eradicate the social, political and economic grounds for radicalization.