Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
While the Taliban are yet to confirm their participation in the upcoming Turkey conference, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad is here in Kabul to encourage the administration of President Ashraf Ghani to take preparation for participation in this senior-meeting. His visit included meetings with incumbent and former Presidents, Ashraf Ghani – Hamid Karzai and chairman of the high council for national reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah. The meetings focused on progression in peace negotiations and the Istanbul conference. Although in some cases, these initial rapid moves for peace bring hopes to the Afghans who wished nothing else but an end to the long-going relentless war, the conflictive stance of the government and Taliban diminish their wishes for such a noble cause. The illogical excuses for continuation of violence and the heavy headedness of the two sides for forcing their interests on each other, engaging into recrimination, and considering themselves superior, have faced the peace process to walls. The government is insisting on preservation of constitution while the Taliban touting for controlling the 60 percent of the territory. Every time the peace negotiations are edging to an imminent breakthrough and the Afghans envisioning a possible peace in their country, the two sides come up with new excuses, and reasons to keep this bloodshed alive on the ground. Based on reports, last week was deadliest during the last three years of violence in the country. More than 107 people including 79 security forces and 28 civilians were killed in just one week. What brings stumbling blocks on the path of the peace process is lack of sincere and flank intentions of both the government and Taliban who seem to be devoid of compassion for the people. The Afghans spent more than last four decades in a rampage of violence. Whenever peace negotiations are getting into a momentum, the Afghans witness an uptick in violence, with the government forces and Taliban escalating hostilities, carrying out attacks on each other across the country. Giving a wise look at the situation in the country, it is undoubtedly revealed that the only people suffer in this war is the only Afghans. Those casualties on the Taliban side are also a weight on the government. The Taliban fighters mainly living in the rural part of the country have children and family that are needed to be taking cared. The Afghans lack those compassionate leaders who truly seek the interest of the nation rather than brining their egos and personal interest on the scene. If the two sides keep showing themselves superior, peace will remain just a dream of millions of Afghans. The government and Taliban should understand that the Afghans are tired of long-going violence, wishing nothing else but peace. Touting for winning the war that resulted in killings of thousands of Afghans is not an honor for any of the conflict sides.
