KABUL - Kabul on Saturday rejected the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction (SIGAR) report that the Taliban ruled 30 percent of the country’s territory.
SIGAR’s chief John F. Sopko said the Afghan government controlled 70 percent while the Taliban ruled 30 percent of the country -- the highest territorial gains for the insurgent since 2001.
In his report, Sopko informed Congress that the security situation in Afghanistan had been on the decline and the country’s future did not appear promising. He said the Taliban, who were removed from power in 2001 were in a stronger position than ever.
But the Afghan government rejected the CIGAR claim, saying that although last year was more violent, but it did not mean that the administration had lost its writ.
Syed Zafar Hashmi, Presidential Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman, said the insurgents tried desperately to alter the country’s geography. However, he insisted, the militants did not succeed in their nefarious designs.
He said most of the areas had been retaken from the insurgents after conclusive operations by the security forces. The fighters did not have the ability to stay in control of the areas they captured, he observed.
Hashemi said the 3rd quadrilateral meeting would take place in Islamabad in the coming week which when representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US would decide on a framework for peace talks. (Pajhwok)