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

“The Last Warning” of President Karzai

ISAF has once again been warned by President Hamid Karzai over the deaths of civilians; this time the tone being very aggressive, and the warning being called as "The Last Warn ing". President Karzai has always reacted upon the reported casualties of the civilians by NATO or US-led air strikes. This particular reaction has come as a response to the 14 reported deaths of non-combatants in an airstrike in southern Helmand province on Sunday, May 29, 2011. He has also mentioned that the earlier warnings of the government regarding the airstrikes or night raids have also been neglected by the ISAF officials. The Helmand governor's spokesman, Daud Ahmadi has also mentioned that the strike has resulted into casualties including women and children and a team has been set to investigate the raid.

ISAF has immediately responded to the report by mentioning that they have joint assessment teams comprising of both Afghan and ISAF officials to investigate the raid and would respond appropriately after the findings of the teams.
Definitely, the lives of the non-combatant people of Afghanistan are worthy and they must be respected by any means, but the situation in hand depicts so many sophistications that lead the ISAF airstrikes to the bombardment of civilian residents. On most of the occasions ISAF has claimed the residences to be the hideouts of the Talibans. Talibans who escape the ISAF troops easily find refuge in the welcoming abodes of the residents. On certain other occasions ISAF troops are lead astray by the local intelligence networks that do such deeds to defame NATO and American troops. ISAF in this regard needs to carry out serious measures so that they should not let the public opinion incline towards the militants.

Undoubtedly, the cause of Taliban can never be favored and soft corner for them can only result in heightening their courage to continue their terrorist activities and risk the security of the entire country; this must be kept in mind by all the people of Afghanistan. President office, while favoring the security of non-combatants must keep this in consideration that it must not lean to the favor of Taliban, who would not take this favor as the concession offered to them for strengthening peace process, but as incapacity of the government to stand against their terrorist activities. Both people and government of Afghanistan, while condemning the death of non-combatant people must at the same time censure Taliban and terrorism even to a greater extent if they really want terrorism to recede from the country.