Afghanistan Times
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The former Soviet Union’s army was pulled out of Afghanistan on February 15, 1989 after a decade of bloody invasion. The Red Army came to the country in late December 1979 with the call of Babrak Karmal, one of the Soviet-backed regime’s officials to topple his rival Hafizullah Amin. But the people of Afghanistan who did not want their home to be occupied by the foreigners, stood up against the invasion and this was the beginning of a long war. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans were killed and injured and many parts of the country were damaged, while three million of people took refuge to the neighboring countries as well as to the Europe and America.
The Soviet withdrawal was expected for Afghans as the end of bloodshed and destruction, but people’s dreams did not come true and it was actually the beginning of another phase of war in the already war-torn country.
After a four-year fighting between the Mujahideen factions, Taliban started brutality against the people. The US invasion and toppling Taliban’s regime in 2001 made people again hopeful for a bright future.
Unfortunately, still war continues and civilians are killed and injured by Taliban militants, the newly-emerged Islamic State (IS), aka, Daesh terrorist group and even government forces and foreign troops every day in different areas. 6,785 civilians were killed only last year, according to the United Nations report.
There is question among people: “How long will the war continue?” And there is no answer by any part involved in the country’s affairs.
Some neighboring countries’ interference is undoubtedly the most reason of the continuation of war. They are looking their own stability and benefit in the instability and loss in Afghanistan.
The international coalition led by the United States is spending time and money to eliminate terrorism in Afghanistan, while terrorism is exported from some neighbors and Afghans tired of war, and also victims of terrorism.
Afghan leaders have repeatedly asked the international allies to convince those countries from where terrorists enter Afghanistan not to let them use their soil.
Hamid Karzai, the former president, said many times that looking for terrorism in Afghan villages does not go right and its bases should be found and targeted outside the borders of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, the region and the world in general will be safe when the roots of terrorism are cut outside Afghanistan and also when the neighboring countries start cooperation with Afghan government and the international coalition honestly.
