(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) Following the intensification of Talibanattacks on Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Farah and Kabul provinces, the nationaldefense forces also increased operations against the Taliban in different partsof the country. In last few weeks, In addition to victories in theabove-mentioned provinces, several districts that had been under control ofTaliban for years now taken over by security forces. Thus, several ImportantTaliban figures ranging from so-called governors to combatant commanders andtechnical personnel specialized in making suicide bombs and planning terroristattacks have been killed. According to statistics provided last week, nearly athousand Taliban troops were killed in various parts of the country.
Furthermore, one of the most dangerousDaesh hideout destroyed a in the north of Kabul in a six-hours-long operationby a Special Unit of the National Directorate of Security Unit on Thursdayevening. Seemingly, the information about the center was taken from a dangerousthree-member of the group who were arrested last week. According to localreports, two Daesh members, who were hiding in a residential house inSar-e-Kotal area in Kabul's Police District 17, PD17, were killed and a largenumber of weapons were also seized during the operation adding that one of themwas a Pakistani national. The residential house, which was rented by the twoDaesh members, used for planning terrorist attacks in Kabul and also madesuicide vests. Therefore, we need to raise awareness among people to cooperatewith the security forces in recognition of suspects when they see residing intheir areas.
According to political experts, two majorphenomena have exacerbated insecurity situation and also recent repressiveattacks on the Taliban: election and peace talks. Holding elections isconsidered as an indispensable principle for the Afghan government but itsfailure is considered very critical to the armed opposition groups andimportant for their political credibility in political bargaining. Therefore,they have unprecedentedly increased their attacks across the country,especially on the capital city of Kabul. The Taliban did not want to acceptintra-Afghan talks with the Afghan government because they were trying tocancel the elections and create a provisional government. If the Taliban couldsucceed to implement their plan, then, they could easily reach their wishesthrough their influence they gained and had among some politicians and ethnicgroups.
Unfortunately, some of our politicalleaders were so fascinated by the leadership and vice-president position of theProvisional Government that they acted as spokesmen for the Taliban. They triedto defend and justify from their positions at the national level saying thatthere is huge difference between current Taliban and Taliban of twenty yearsago. The current Taliban respect the modern values and became more flexibleagainst international norms and standards while the group has repeatedly shownboth in theory and also in practice that they pay no values and attention tohuman rights, equality and freedom. Theyhave repeatedly articulated their non-compliance with internationalconventions.
During the peace process with the USdelegation, the Taliban became proud and felt triumphant as nearing to theirIslamic Emirate dream after signing an agreement with the United States. Theyhad affected the political atmosphere in a way that marginalized the governmentand their lobby groups and circles did not feel shy to justify their acts andreturn anyway. In fact, it was theTaliban group who chose when or who could participate in the negotiations andwho could not participate. The Taliban had repeatedly rejected talks with theAfghan government and government representatives, but allowed the individualsto participate in intra-Afghan negotiations. The situation, as 2014, made theTaliban hopeful to reach their goal through intensification of war and militarypressure. They wanted to cancel the election and establish a provisionalgovernment.
Fortunately, these dreams were notmaterialized to the benefit of Taliban and some politicians within the system.Trump stopped the Qatar peace talks with a short tweet and also refused to meetwith Taliban leaders in the United States. The stoppage of talks not onlydamaged the peace process which was in interest of Taliban but also changed thesituation on the military fronts in Afghanistan. The United States increasedcontribution with Afghan government in fighting against the group and becamemore involved in suppressing and bombing on Taliban gathering centers. As aresult, not only dozens of Taliban leaders and commanders were killed but alsopaved the way for Afghan security forces to free many of districts in differentprovinces across the country. This can trend can also contribute to moreinclusive and transparent election in the country provided that the government officialsand political leaders do not miss the opportunity.
Given the victories achieved in last twoweeks, it is understood if the international force had maintained the motivesto fight against Taliban and jointly worked to strengthen the security forcesand worked closely with them, today many of our military and security problemswere resolved and the Afghan people would not have to go back to the point theyhad been through with bitter experience two decades ago .Although it is toolate to say this, the current situation still provides a new opportunity forpeople, governments, political parties and political groups to defenddemocratic values with a full political consensus and say no to the Emirate andother extremist groups. Therefore, we should support the elections as anational process and strive for its transparency, security and credibility.
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