Abdullah opposes ceding regions to Taliban

Related Articles

Former Canadian Soldier David Lavery Arrested by Taliban in Kabul

November 16, 2024

Eight dead after vehicle falls into river in Afghanistan

November 16, 2024

Qatar, Turkey urge inclusive government in Afghanistan

November 16, 2024

AT-KABUL: The Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah rejected the handover of some areas to Taliban as against the peaceful morale and the national interests.

This is the first time that the chief executive publicly stands against president Ghani’s decision, saying such discussions are not in the list of the government’s work procedure and no word would be discussed.

Omid Maisam, a spokesman of the chief executive, said Monday, this matter was unacceptable for the people of Afghanistan and no group should speak on this issue.

“The matter of handing over some provinces to the Taliban is not yet exact and such matters are not in the government’s agenda because this is against the peace moral and dialogue. This is not acceptable either by the government or by people,” Maisam said.

The government has agreed to hand six provinces mostly in the south and southeast and along the Durand Line to the Taliban insurgents under the name of safe zone, according to reports.

The Kabul News broadcaster reporters Sunday that the agreement took place by Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States.

The government has yet to comment in this regard. Golboddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami had earlier asked the Taliban to accept President Ghani’s peace proposal, saying that he was waiting for the president’s statement over the handover of some areas to the militants.

Hekmatyar’s remarks were rejected by the government at the time.

The High Peace Council, rejected the reports, saying that peace dialogues would not mean giving privileges to the Taliban.

The Taliban still insist the pull out of the foreign troops from Afghanistan as their main precondition to start talks to the government.

Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban official said if the foreign soldiers leave Afghanistan, Taliban would immediately and without any conditions join the peace.

Political analyst, JavedKohestani, said Pakistan had long been trying to empower Taliban and take some areas from the government of Afghanistan to the Taliban.

“The dominant circles inside the government try to legalize and publicize Pakistan’s demands over the handover of some areas to Taliban that has been often demanded by the Saudi and Britain as well,” Kohestani said.

He claimed that the ceasefire was also a scheme from Pakistan to keep Afghan government busy and get out of the international pressures as well as re-empower the Taliban insurgents.

The defense ministry said that soldier were in high alert to give reasonable response to the Taliban in case of coming under attack from the militants.