Afghanistan Times
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Situation in Afghanistan is becoming much grimmer with each passing day. Taliban has been intensified assaults and continue to seize more territory and the Afghan security forces are trying to hold them back. The offensive heightened after the announcement of foreign troops withdrawal for September. Indeed, the US messed up in Afghanistan as its war on terror went in vain and moreover its irresponsible withdrawal plan caused the militant outlets to start daydreaming of military victory. Trying to fix the slip-up, the US has decided to send its B-52 bombers to help the Afghan security forces against the insurgents. The Taliban faced heavy casualties when B-52 Air Forces targeted their gatherings and hideouts in the city of Sheberghan that apparently over 200 members of the militant outfit were killed. A large number of Taliban’s weapons and ammunition and more than 100s of their vehicles were also destroyed as a result of the airstrike. The US is seemingly trying to stop the Taliban offensive as it’s getting deadlier and uglier on a daily basis but for how long would this string of bombardment that also claims the lives of many innocent people. The airstrike came when heavy fighting was underway in central parts of three Northern Provinces, Kunduz – Sar-e-Pul and Jawzjan that reportedly inflicted civilian casualties during the clashes. The Taliban even claimed to capture the entire urban part of Kunduz. People started to leave areas fallen to the Taliban despite the assurance given by the Taliban that no former civil servant and other government employees including those who worked for the security forces in Nimroz and other provinces should have any fear. But it’s very difficult to trust the group. What they did to civilians in Kandahar and other provinces is a horrible example. Even did not spare a famous comedian and elders. Taliban’s swift descent into violence following withdrawal of foreign troops has shocked the Afghans who pinned high hope on a compromise political settlement as a result of intra-Afghan talks. However, seemingly the Taliban are no more interested in dialogue and have chosen violence to overcome Afghanistan. A free advice to the Taliban is that they should understand the gravity of the situation. The US has already started bombing them, an indication that if the fatal violence did not reduce, the US can even relapse its withdrawal plan and the Taliban would only be blameworthy for it. The international community, including the regional countries, is not happy with what the Taliban are doing at the moment. These countries backed negotiated settlement to the Afghan conflict and openly supported the Afghan peace process. The Taliban would be responsible if the US forces did not withdraw on September 11, and such consequences would be very much terrible for the Taliban and states sponsoring it.
