Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

‘Taliban Spring Offensive an Attempt to Sabotage Peace Process’

‘Taliban Spring Offensive  an Attempt to Sabotage Peace Process’

KABUL - Senior Afghan politicians, including former president Hamid Karzai, have strongly lambasted the Taliban’s announcement of spring offensive, calling it an attempt to sabotage the ongoing peace process.
A day earlier, the Taliban announced the launch of their spring offensive codenamed Al Fatah, across the country, drawing strong criticism from the US envoy for reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan government and NATO resolute support mission.
A statement from Hamid Karzai’s media office said the former president was saddened by the Taliban’s announcement. It quoted Karzai as calling the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan as an imposed war that served the interest of outsiders.
He said on both sides only the Afghan were killed and maimed and the conflict only offered destruction and devastation and nothing else.
Karzai urged all the warring sides that instead of waging fresh violence, they should focus all their efforts and energy on ceasing the bloodshed and bringing peace and stability to the war-torn nation.
In his reaction to the Taliban’s announcement, Senate chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar said the Afghan government not only offered conditions-free talks but also accepted all conditions of the Taliban for peace in the country.
He said President Ghani even offered the Taliban to open their political office inside Afghanistan because the Afghans were desperate for peace which was their long standing demand.
“We showed the world that the Afghans are peace loving people and they are ready to offer any kind of sacrifice for peace, but in response the Taliban announced their new offensive and showed the world they do not want peace, but war.”
Muslimyar asked the Afghans to stand united in their efforts to frustrate the nefarious designs of the Taliban and stand shoulder to shoulder with their security forces.
He said the Afghan defense and security forces were fully capable and equipped with modern weaponry to frustrate the enemy’s designs.
Muslimyar told the international community and foreign forces that the Taliban had always wished to deprive the Afghans of having a peaceful life and an organized system.
Meanwhile, presidential candidate Hanif Atmar said the Taliban’s announcement of their spring offensive was condemnable because the Afghans had launched their peace campaign with new hopes.
He asked the Taliban not to alienate themselves from the Afghans whose hopes for peace had increased.
He said the Taliban should not act against the ongoing peace process and factors that the rebels deemed behind the continuation of war could be resolved through talks. (Pajhwok)