Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: Vice President, Mohammad Sarwar Danesh says that war would continue against the armed opposition groups until the two sides reach a peace agreement, an apparent reaction to the Taliban attack on the army base in Helmand province.
A group of fighters with suicide bombers stormed the heavily fortified 215 Maiwand Corps early Friday and started hours-long battle with the soldiers stationed in the base. The clash reportedly left scores of dead and soldiers from two sides.
Danesh said that the “enemies of Afghanistan” want to demoralize security forces with such attacks. “The enemies of Afghanistan shout peace slogans, and from other side they dream to defeat the Afghan hero army and try to demoralize our security forces by carrying out terrorist attacks, but they will take their dreams to grave,” Danesh said on Saturday.
According to defense ministry statement, 23 soldiers were killed and another 16 injured in Helmand attack, which Taliban claimed responsibility.
The attack comes at a time when their negotiators are busy in talks with US envoy for Afghan peace Zalmay Khalilzad for the fifth time in Qatar.
“Taliban want to have upper hand in the negotiations with these attacks. They have increased attacks during the peace talks to make the other side of talks accept their demands,” said security analyst Atiqullah Amarkhil.
He suggests that the government needs to increase its intelligence activities in the current situation to defeat enemy’s attacks.
