Afghanistan is a nascent democratic state, governed by ruling elites, consisting of state institutions; judiciary, executive, legislative body, media and large standing army making it unbeatable. The unexplored rich earthly resources, capable of earning socio-economic possessions for the state, aren’t taken the advantage of, which underlines the negligence if not the incompetence of ruling elites. Violence has been a dominant phenomenon browbeating every fabric of Afghan society. The fight between insurgents and government backed international allies seems unending.
The armed forces carrying out clean up operation or insurgents retaliating the innocent civilians are left to pay the price.
The Parwan airstrike and Kabul blast left 35 civilians dead and scores injured with inclusion to women and children. In the ongoing tit-for-tat between armed forces and insurgents, unarmed civilians are left to render endless and futile sacrifices that never lead to fruition and bring them aversion of ill-fates.
The fact finding commission comprising of Afghan officials, headed by Afghan lawmaker Abdul Satar Khawasi, appointed by President Karzai to investigate the US airstrike in Siah Gerd district of northern Parwan province of Afghanistan, revealed 14 civilians including three women and five children killed.
The failure of government keeping insurgents away from civilian enclave manipulates the state of affairs in the favor of insurgents. Wisely, the militants seeking civilian shield complicates the grounds operation straightening the route for aerial operation. In such circumstances the forces are left with dual option of either carrying out the targeted operation or abandoning it seeing the risk of civilian causalities. Parwan is an insurgency hit province, where reportedly Afghan national army (ANA) backed by ISAF launched cleanup operation to dismantle the compounds of militants. According to ISAF statement, the operation was conducted in a high threat area to target senior Taliban leaders, Qari Nazar Gul and Noorullah, who are involved in major attacks against the Afghan and coalition security forces.
In retaliation to the Parwan airstrike, Taliban claims to have executed Friday’s suicide blast that killed approximately two dozen people in an awful and inhuman trade. With exception to fallacy of government displaying ineligibility reversing the attack, Taliban are equally responsible for civilian causalities. Taliban seeking refuge in nearest village endangers the lives of unarmed civilians who didn’t restrict them doing this, which is unjustifiable disposition worthy of loud condemnation with inclusion to Afghan forces led air raid. Significantly, the pursuit of tit-for-tat that made Taliban launch attacks on innocent local or foreign nationals is equally condemnable act.
The Friday’s blast claiming the lives of most foreign civilians consisting of country head of IMF and UN staff unearthed the hollow security measures of government and the might of Taliban simultaneously. Should we draw conclusion, that Taliban can target any high profile target they seek? Why timely report of possible terror attack wasn’t surfaced and possible measures were not taken? There are many similar questions awaiting immediate response.