KABUL - The national unity government on Thursday said peace negotiations with the Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) were in a final phase and a formal agreement with the group would be signed in the next few days.
Javed Faisal, spokesman for Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah, told journalists here that peace negotiations between the government and the Gulbadin Hekmatyar-led HIA had yielded positive results.
However, he acknowledged the Taliban militants continued to be involved in brainless violence and killing of innocent people despite several offer of peace talks from the government.
Thus an armed campaign against the Taliban was a legitimate right of the government, the CEO spokesman argued. “Those who do not believe in peace and continue fighting will face a befitting response, because their insurgency is against the Afghan people.”
On May 18, the government had announced finalising a draft peace agreement with the HIA, the second largest militant organisation behind Taliban.
Lifting of sanctions against HIA leaders, dropping their names from the US blacklist and facilitating the party to operate openly are among pledges the government has held out.(Pajhwok)