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

The Political Message of Recent Successive Attacks

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The Political Message of Recent  Successive Attacks

In the Eve of Intra Afghan Peace Talks,  the Taliban consecutive attacks have increased across the country. In recent days, the Taliban attacks were more meaningful targeting Punjshir strategic province and today targeted the first vice president Amrullah Saleh which consequently led to nearly 10 deaths and 39 injuries in Kabul as media news reported. Although the first vice president has rescued from the event and similarly the attacks on Punjirshir faced with people resistance, the Taliban recent attacks caused so many reactions and discussions in the country. As these successive attacks were simultaneous with the anniversary of National Hero, Ahmad Shah Massoud, and upcoming intra Afghan peace talks, they seem more meaningful and probably with more political message.
The attacks on Punjshir coincided with anniversary of National Hero Ahmad Shah Massoud because it is considered as symbol of resistance against Taliban and other aggressive powers. Neither Taliban nor the Soviet occupying forces succeeded to dominate on punjshir province. So, with targeting this sensitive time and location, the Taliban wanted to show that no power is here to stand against them in the country and they are able to attack anywhere in the country, but with resistance of people in Punjshir, the Taliban once again failed to show their military power in this mythical area. Once gain the Punjshiri  people showed that war is not a good solution to end the ongoing political conflicts in the country. Now, the Taliban must have received a strong message that no one must think about omission of one and other in this country.
The attacks on the first vice president has also similar message because of several reasons. The attacks on first vice president occurred after his recent expressions in the anniversary meeting of Ahmad Shah Massoud in Kabul. During his speech, he stressed that peacemaking with Taliban does not mean surrender; rather, in the shadow of peace, the people of Afghanistan learn how to live peacefully with their enemy under one umbrella. In addition, the first vice president, Amrllah Saleh, was one of active individual under command of Ahmad shah Massoud and also considered as an Anti-Taliban figure in the country. so, with targeting Amrullah Saleh the Taliban wanted to reach several goals. First, they wanted to compensate his recent defeat in Punjshir. Secondly, they wanted to show their military power in heart of capital city in the eve of peace talks and thirdly, they wanted to remove a troublesome who may impede them reaching their tyranny dreams in the future. If we look at the past, the Taliban always used the same brutal method assassinating their big political oppositions in the country. for example, Abdul Ali Mazari, Ustad Rabbani, Abdul Haq, Sayeed Kazimi and may other religious and political personalities were directly or indirectly killed by Taliban groups.
In addition to the above, the Taliban wanted to respond recent expression of son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ahmad Massoud. Recently, he said to the local media that if the Taliban wants to impose his emirate system on Afghanistan, not only he is ready for resistance but also all Afghans will stand against them. They attacked on Punjshir not only to make a political campaign but also respond to the resistance address that no internal or external power are able to stand against them in the country. they think if they could not enter into the province during the resistance, now there are able to neutralize the magic with  political recognition or support of regional and international power. With removing their names from UN blacklist and gaining international legitimacy and also with martyrdom of Afghan big personalities, they seem more confident.
Anyhow, it seems that the Taliban’s calculation are unrealistic and far from social and political facts of modern Afghanistan. It is true that Taliban removed their names from UN blacklist, how they can remove their names from blacklist of Afghanistan’s history with killing hundreds and thousands of people in the country. it is true that Afghanistan has lost many of its prominent figures in the last thirty years; Instead, it has achieved a regular army and professional security forces that have good combat capability in the region. As an impregnable barrier, they have been able to defeat the Taliban anywhere in the country. Afghan security forces, regardless of ethnical difference, they are considered as strong  deterrent power. Afghan security forces have not only protected the country from the evil clutches of terrorist groups, but also thwarted the nightmares of those who dreamt destabilizing the world and the Green Continent. Terrorist groups are trapped in the swamp of Afghanistan. They have not yet been able to establish a safe geography for themselves in this land and then launch larger attacks on other parts of the world. Therefore, the Taliban and other terrorist groups must keep in mind that if Afghanistan has lost its  prominent figures, it has instead achieved a powerful and organized army that are able to fill their gaps in the country.
Thus, If the Taliban overconfidence are linked with the shortcomings of the current political leaders, it is also unrealistic and far from realities of the country because the government and political leaders have social roots and bases.  if they make any mistakes, the generation of democracy will help them to follow national lines. The generational change with accessing to higher education are considered of the big achievement of  last two decades in the country. the young generation of Afghanistan will prefer no value other than stability and democratic system in the country. the Taliban should also keep in mind that the women of Afghanistan has not forgotten the dark era when no woman could go to school and educational centers. Now, there are more than 250 university and higher educational institutes and about 16000 schools across the country which are filled with male and female young generation supporting their democratic system and not ready to go back to the dark era. Therefore, the Taliban and their supporters need to get more familiar with social and cultural facts of current Afghanistan.

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@gmail.com

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