KABUL - Terming the little known Daesh a threat to national security, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, the National Security Advisor (NSA), on Tuesday made it clear the government would hold talks only with groups that accepted the constitution of Afghanistan.
He expressed these views at a briefing to members of upper house. Atmar was summoned by the Mesharano Jirga to explain government position on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), peace process, and presence of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Afghanistan.
He said BSA was being implemented and since last four months Afghan security forces spearheaded command of military operations in the country.
In line with the agreement, he said, the US had been extending military, training and logistic support to the Afghan forces. “US has preformed its responsibility in line with the BSA,” he noted.
He said the US and some other European countries had paid $4.9 billion for equipment of the country’s 352,000 security forces and 30,000 Afghan Local Police (ALP).
He said Afghan forces were fully capable to thwart any threat, but non availability of long distance missiles and weak air forces were among some daunting challenges.
He said Afghan Air Force would not be facing lack of fighter jets in the future because $1.5 billion were being invested to uplift the air force.
According to Atmar, the issue of lack of weapons for police would also be resolved soon as talks in this regard had been held with friendly countries to assist in equipping the Afghan police.
He said the US was busy in training Afghan forces, a pledge that was reached in the BSA, but the process would take some time to yield results.
He said the BSA was signed after months of debate and discussion, adding that a consultative Loya Jirga was organized for BSA acceptance. And the agreement was approved by the parliament as well.
He said the country was fighting on the frontline against international terrorist groups such as Taliban Daesh, Alqaeda, Haqani Network, Pakistan Taliban, Uzbek insurgents and Ansarullah groups that posed a huge threat to the country security.
He said talks on military assistance were underway with other countries to better equip security forces. The official ruled out the notion that security situation had deteriorated after BSA was inked. He said Afghanistan had the background of violence and insecurity.
In regards with peace talks the National Security Advisor said militants’ councils in Peshawar, Karcahi, Waziristan and Quetta were not acceptable and the government would hold talks with groups that considered the Afghan constitution supreme.
He said Daesh was a dangerous outfit and the government had decided four month ago to eliminate the so-called Islamic organization that spread terror and brutality.
He said Daesh was a regional and international organization and wanted to use the soil of Afghanistan for its own designs. (Pajhwok)