In a tragic incident on Wednesday, May 08, eight civilians were killed and wounded when the vehicle they were travelling in struck a roadside bomb in southern Helmand province.

According to the news reports, the explosion left three people dead and five others wounded in the Nahr-i-Saraj area of Greshk district at about 8am.

Col. Ismail Hotak said the victims were on their way to Lashkargah, the provincial capital. The injured were evacuated to the Emergency Hospital, he said, without commenting on their condition.

It is unfortunate to note that Afghanistan has had a lengthy history of instability and chaos and Afghan civilians have mostly suffered as a result of all the misfortunes. There is one particular chapter that had the most heinous influence on the people of Afghanistan and it is still affecting them in so many ways; and that chapter is the chapter of Talibanization and the growth of terrorism within the country. Taliban did not only introduce the extremist religious ideas and practices but they also established connections with international terrorist group – al-Qaeda. The loose control over the rise of extremism and even its appreciation disseminated it throughout most parts of the country and the common people have been suffering since then.

To fight the growing terrorism that had started threatening the whole world, US and its allies chose to fight it in its shelter, which at that time was, unfortunately, Afghanistan. After the incident of 9/11 there has been a clash between the Taliban and Western forces on Afghan soil. Though in the very beginning of the war Taliban insurgents did not have much option except to flee; unfortunately, that running away was just to find refuge at a save place and return through different techniques and threaten the Western and the Afghan forces. Instead of opting for direct war they have opted to attack through Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), suicide bombings, ambushes, targeted killings, and other tactics. Unfortunately, these tactics of them have influenced the peace and tranquility of the country to a large extent and have even influenced the social-psychology by haunting it through insecurity complex. At the same time they have taken the lives of thousands of civilians, which is the most unfortunate outcome of these filthy arrangements.        

It is important to note that as the date for the withdrawal of international troops is getting nearer, the concerns regarding the future of stability and a peaceful society are getting serious. In the ongoing year there have been many incidents that have clearly depicted that it is not just the military personnel or the terrorists that are losing their lives; rather the civilians have been influenced and targeted to a large extent as well.

The victimization of the Afghan people because of insecurity in different parts of the country is really a serious matter and must be dealt as a top priority matter. Some of the recent incidents in the country clearly showed that the lives of the civilians are in danger and the Taliban are mainly responsible for it. The incidents showed that Taliban have started targeting the civilians directly. Moreover, the butchery shown in the incidents are really heinous and there have to be serious steps to counter them otherwise they would threaten the lives of the common people to a great extent. 

The common masses in Afghanistan must bother about the deterioration in security as they are basically the ones who have been suffering and may suffer to a further extent if instability and terrorism prevail in the country. It is really pathetic to see the civilians losing their lives when they have nothing to do with the war. In the economically unstable and war-torn country like Afghanistan, people have not only suffered the hardships of the poor and miserable lives but also the horrors of war. They have been killed mercilessly as if their lives do not have any value or meaning and it is important to see that the Taliban are mostly behind the demise of the poor civilians. It is really unfortunate to note that they still remain powerful enough to conduct their merciless efforts to target the civilians in addition to the Afghan and international forces.

Taliban, on various occasions, have claimed that they would not target the civilians directly but the reality is totally against what is claimed by them. Though a UN report last year revealed that there had been a decline in the civilian casualties as compared to the previous year, the concerns still remain very much disturbing as the number of civilians being killed as a result of insurgency still remains very high. The report also disclosed that about 80 percent of the civilian-killings resulted from the attacks of the Taliban insurgents. Civilian killings, therefore, clearly depict that Taliban do not care much about the civilian casualties; what they mostly care about is their threat and dominancy over the security arrangements. Unfortunately, they pursue their objectives through the coward means of targeting the civilians.

Different attacks, bombings, shootings and suicide bombings of the vicious guardians of the so-called holy war have only been able to target the children, women and non-military figures. With the presence of such facts, it is weird to find Taliban calling themselves friendly to Afghan people.

They have been trying to develop an image of caring and affectionate body that is trying to liberate the people of Afghanistan from the Western forces. But the fact is just on the contrary. They just want power and for that they will never hesitate to sacrifice the poor Afghan people. If they come to power, it is evident that Afghan people will never have peace, contentment and above all their due rights.

The innocent people of Afghanistan deserve that the Afghan government and the international community must ensure to them a better future. They need to make sure that the post transition period in Afghanistan will be a period that can give poverty stricken Afghan people security and basic requirements of living; provide them better representation and participation in political and social life and make them capable of governing themselves peacefully.