Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: Afghanistan has been stuck between war and negotiations—a peace deal is a possible diplomatic triumph but also a possible disaster as the reconciliation process faced deadlock. There is much work to be done in the parts of the Afghan government and the Taliban group to succeed in the process. Trust-deficit continues to get deeper and both (Afghan government and Taliban) accuse each other of sabotaging the process.
US forces are about to depart Afghanistan and already Washington reduced it to 8,600 troop, showing flexibility in the way of the peace process. US-Taliban signed a peace agreement on February 29th in Doha. Now the negotiations are at the hands of the Afghans.
Unfortunately, the accusation pre between them have severely undermined the process and have dashed to the ground the hope of the Afghans toward peace.
War has been intensified immediately after the Eid ceasefire ended. Now the Afghan security forces and the Taliban are engaged in intensive fighting. Over tens of Afghan security forces and the Taliban fighters were killed only in the past 24 hours across the country.
The police chief of Khas Uruzgan, Dad Gul, and also a local police commander and an army forces commander along with four other security force members were killed in a roadside blast in Khas Uruzgan district on Wednesday. It was planted by the Taliban group, according to the local officials.
Nine Taliban fighters were killed and three others wounded after they attacked a security checkpoint of the Afghan security forces in central Ghazni province on Tuesday night, Afghan Special Forces commandos said in a statement on Wednesday. It took place in Arzo village in Ghazni city. The Taliban’s attack was pushed back by the commandos. The Taliban did not immediately comment on the issue.
Furthermore, at least seven Afghan security force members were killed in a Taliban attack in the southern Kandahar province on Tuesday, provincial police confirmed on Wednesday.
The clashes took place in Takhta Pul district of the province when the Taliban attacked security checkpoints.
Recently, the Taliban also attacked security forces in Arghistan and Marouf districts, where 14 Taliban were killed, according to Kandahar police.
Afghanistan gripped in the war and the international community time and again called on the warring sides to reduce violence and immediately engaged into Afghan-to-Afghan talks to end the war.
The Chinese Envoy to Kabul, Mr. Wang Yu, said he had held a telephonic conversation with former President Hamid Karzai, where they discussed the Afghan peace process and pandemic situation.
China will continue to play a positive role in the battle against COVID-19 and facilitate reconciliation in Afghanistan, the envoy added.
US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson said he had held virtual meeting with Business Council for International Understand members and they discussed progress toward intra-Afghan negotiations and issues important for the U.S. private sector as it takes part in advancing economic development in Afghanistan.
“Peace is essential. Peace leads to stability. Stability allows business to provide jobs that deliver opportunity and prosperity,” he tweeted.
Earlier, he termed Intra-Afghan negotiations are the political path necessary to reach a lasting peace, and the United States looks forward to their commencement soon.
