Taliban in Afghanistan have announced the start of their annual "spring offensive" against the US-backed government, vowing a nationwide series of attacks as foreign troops withdraw.
In a statement released on Saturday via email, the group promised violence that would include "insider attacks" by fighters and "special military tactics" to target international airbases and diplomatic buildings to inflict maximum casualties.
Taliban also warned Afghans working for President Hamid Karzai's "stooge regime” to distance themselves from the government to avoid being caught up in the attacks, and called for young people not to join the police or army.
Afghanistan's fighting season traditionally begins in April or May as snow recedes from the mountains, and in recent years Taliban have marked the occasion with a public declaration of their intent to bring down Karzai.
The Taliban's latest statement celebrated the start of the NATO withdrawal, saying that "the enemy, with all its military might, has been overwhelmed and finally forced to flee from their military bases".
It added that this year's offensive, named after 7th-century general Khalid bin Waleed, would start on Sunday "in unison throughout the country ... against the transgressing invaders and their degenerate backers".
President Hamid Karzai’s soft instance for Taliban is depicted on several occasions. Formerly he offered Mullah Omar to run for presidential election. Subsequent to Farah bomb blast he came forth pleading Taliban not to play in the hands of foreigners’ extending a friendly advice to the culprits of mass violence. It is unpopular and unappreciated discourse pursued by the government.
The fact about the credibility of Taliban is doubtful and might pose severe threat to democracy. Taliban have been the puppet serving multinational interest. Taliban’s reiterating demand for immediate withdrawal of US forces, a primary condition for peace progression seems to be the future prospects of their ill-intentions. The greater and dominant might of Taliban can be estimated by their consecutive strikes at will on important foreign and governmental institutions and have succeeded in penetrating in ANA and ANP. In spite of arbitrary release of large number of Taliban member, negligible shift in their violent attitude is observed.
This perception is dominant and admissive that both Taliban and Al-Qaida share common ideology and execute common agenda which drove Taliban so violent and anti state for long. If the international community backed and government initiated peace talks bore fruition and Taliban are given greater participation in political domain of war-torn Afghanistan even then continuance of Taliban’s political and financial support to Al-Qaida operating in Afghanistan or abroad can’t be ruled out, with inclusion to their demands for reinforcement of radical amendments in the constitution overemphasized.