Photo shows the site of a car bomb in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Rahmatullah AlizadahXinhuaIANS)
Taliban fighters are prohibited from visiting government-controlled areas or giving “enemy personnel” access to areas controlled by the Islamists….reports Asian Lite News
At least 15 people, mainly civilians, were killed in Afghanistan on Monday, the same day Taliban militants announced a nationwide three-day ceasefire for the upcoming Eid-al0Fitr holidays.
The holidays are due to start either on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the sighting of the new moon, but the latest violence, which officials blamed on the Taliban, cast a pall over the news of any short-lived reduction in violence, reports dpa news agency.
All Taliban fighters are instructed to cease offensive operations across the country from the first to the third day of Eid-al Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, a Taliban statement published late Sunday read.
Taliban fighters are prohibited from visiting government-controlled areas or giving “enemy personnel” access to areas controlled by the Islamists.
Taliban
A response from the government in Kabul is still pending.
The Taliban has declared ceasefires to mark the end of Ramadan in the past.
There have been growing concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan since May 1, the date that international troops officially began their withdrawal.
The process is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.
Highlighting the dangers, at least 11 civilians were killed after a roadside bomb hit a passenger bus in Zabul province, in the south, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.
Another 28 passengers were wounded in the explosion, which happened around midnight.
Meanwhile, in Parwan province, two people were killed in an explosion that targeted a minibus with 25 passengers onboard, according to a provincial police spokesperson and a local politician.
Nearly a dozen people were wounded in the bombing.
Taliban
In Farah province, militants detonated an explosive-packed armoured vehicle near an army checkpoint just a few km away from the provincial city centre, several officials confirmed.
There were conflicting reports about the casualty figures.
Provincial governor Taj Mohammad Jahid told dpa that two soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in a checkpoint.
However, provincial councillor Shah Mahmoud Naimi said that the bodies of six soldiers were found under the rubble and four others have been taken captive, with the fate of the remaining force members unclear.
Government officials have blamed the Taliban for the incidents.
The US and its allied nations invaded the Taliban regime in Afghanistan over the country providing shelter to former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the alleged architect of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001….reports Asian Lite News
Afghans, as victims of the so-called US-led war on terror, would continue to suffer after the withdrawal of the American troops, according to a political analyst.
“The people of Afghanistan as the victims of the so-called US-led war on terror had suffered in the war during the 20-year-old presence of the huge military and would continue to suffer even after the troops’ pull out as the militants are still very much active in the country,” analyst Nazari Pariani told Xinhua news agency.
The US and its allied nations invaded the Taliban regime in Afghanistan over the country providing shelter to former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the alleged architect of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.
The US dethroned the Taliban reign but it neither diminished the group nor the Al Qaeda, Pariani said.
Taliban
He described the US forces withdrawal at this stage as irresponsible when the militants are still active and fighting continues, saying “first phase of war ends with the troops’ pull out and the next phase of war would be more catastrophic” and the Afghans won’t embrace peace in the near future.
The renowned political expert, who is also the editor-in-chief of the popular newspaper Mandegar, doubts US President Joe Biden’s remarks that Washington has achieved its goal which was punishing bin Laden and smashing Al Qaeda network, which, he said, didn’t need costly war and launching military invasion in a poor country like Afghanistan.
“Killing Osama and destroying terror groups were small objectives which never required launching such a costly and longest war in the US history,” he told Xinhua.
“Fighting has been continuing and Al Qaeda and like minded groups are active in Afghanistan and the brutal war claims Afghans’ lives every day.”
Pariani said the merciless killing of civilians and Taliban attacks on government forces in several provinces demonstrate the outcome of the troops pull-out from Afghanistan.
Regarding the capability of Afghan security and defence forces, the analyst said: “The security forces would continue to defend the government against Taliban attacks and the armed group would continue to resist.
“The victims are ordinary people, and the scenario would be continuing after US forces withdrawal.”
Security Council strongly condemns Afghan terror attack
About intra-Afghan talks, the political observer said that “the prospect seems uncertain and the talks for peace in Afghanistan at the upcoming conference in Turkey would face deadlock as it previously faced in Doha”.
“No desired outcome is foreseen in the ongoing peace process and Afghans won’t reach a peace agreement over the next six months.”
Washington formally started its forces pull-out from May 1 in Afghanistan and the process, according to the US administration, would be completed by September 11.
Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesperson, said that all Mujahideen have been instructed to halt all operations “against the enemy” countrywide….reports Asian Lite News
Two days after a deadly bombing outside a school in Kabul claimed the lives of over 60 students, the Taliban on Monday announced that they would observe a three-day ceasefire for the festival of Eid.
Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesperson, said that all Mujahideen have been instructed to halt all operations “against the enemy” countrywide.
“In order that the Mujahideen again provide a peaceful and secure atmosphere to our compatriots during Eid-ul-Fitr so that they may celebrate this joyous occasion with…,” he tweeted.
Taliban attack at the peak in Afghanistan
“…a greater peace of mind, all Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate are instructed to halt all offensive operations against the enemy countrywide from the first till the third day of Eid,” he said in another tweet.
However, Naeem instructed the Mujahideen to stand ready to robustly protect and defend themselves and their territory if the ‘enemy’ conducts any assault or attack.
“The Mujahideen must not visit enemy areas nor permit entrance of enemy personnel into Mujahideen controlled areas,” he further said.
This comes after at least three explosions that took place near Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School in the west of Kabul on Saturday afternoon. As many as 63 people, all students, were killed in a Kabul school bombing and 150 more were wounded, TOLO News reported citing sources and relatives of victims.
Ashraf Ghani
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the terrorist attack on a school in Kabul and called for a national day of mourning in wake of the incident.
Taking to Twitter, Deputy Interior Minister Sediq Sediqqi said that Ghani has asked the Taliban to abandon the killings of innocent Afghans.
“President Ghani condemns the Kabul terrorist attack with the strongest words, termed a despicable crime against humanity. Calls for a national day of mourning, and asks the Taliban to abandon the killings of innocent Afghans,” he said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban has denied any involvement in the incident.
Taliban
“We condemn in strongest terms the killing of civilians in Dashti Barchi, Kabul, as a result of incessant explosions and call for a neutral and transparent investigation,” another Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a tweet.
Amid the ongoing drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, the war-torn country has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians.
Over 1,000 Taliban terrorists have been killed and wounded in several encounters with the Afghan security forces during this period in Kandahar, Helmand, Farah, Herat and Baghlan provinces, said General Yasin Zia, the Afghan Chief of Army Staff. (ANI)
The Afghan Ministry of Defense said that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have dealt major blows to the Taliban during the recent spate of violence in the country…reports Asian Lite News
The Afghan National Army’s commando forces broke the siege in Dahana-e-Ghori district in the northern province of Baghlan today where fighting has been going on for the last three days with Taliban forces.
According to Tolo news, Safiqullah Amiri, commander of commando forces regiment in the north who leads the operations in Baghlan, on Saturday said, “Reinforcements have arrived in the district and that three outposts that had fallen to the Taliban were retaken.”
“At least 10 security force members were rescued during the operation,” Amiri added.
Amiri said that he was accompanied by the deputy commander of the Afghan Army’s 209 Shaheen Corps and stationed more forces there. He added that ways connecting the district with Pul-e-Khumri city, the center of Baghlan, have been reopened, reported Tolo news.
Taliban attack at the peak in Afghanistan
Across Afghanistan, heavy fighting is underway after the Taliban launched attacks on the Afghan security forces, in various regions of Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, Laghman, Baghlan, and Helmand provinces over the last 24 hours.
In the latest incident, the Taliban stormed two security outposts in Arezo village on the outskirts of Ghazni city, killing at least 16 security force members and injuring three more, reported Tolo news.
In Maidan Wardak province, local officials have confirmed that in Maidan Shar city, three soldiers apparently associated with the Taliban opened fire and killed ten soldiers and then fled to a Taliban-controlled area along with their military equipment.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense said that the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have dealt major blows to the Taliban during the recent spate of violence in the country.
“Heavy casualties were inflicted to the enemy particularly in Helmand, Baghlan, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, and Kandahar provinces. The security forces are crushing terrorists with more strength than ever before,” said Rohullah Ahmadzai, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, as reported by Tolo news.
In western Afghanistan, at least 23 Taliban fighters were killed and 27 others were wounded after the Afghan Air Force targeted a gathering of local Taliban commanders in Bala Buluk district of the province, local officials said. (ANI)
At least 11 Afghan security forces members were killed in militants’ attacks on Wednesday night, authorities confirmed on Thursday….reports Asian Lite News
The Taliban has not launched any attack against US and coalition forces in Afghanistan since the drawdown began, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said.
“There have been no attacks against US and coalition forces since the retrograde began on or about May 1, and that is also consistent for the past year,” Milley said during a joint press conference with Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin here on Thursday.
Meanwhile, he noted that the Taliban continued its attacks against the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), reports Xinhua news agency.
At least 11 Afghan security forces members were killed in militants’ attacks on Wednesday night, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
Both Milley and Austin reaffirmed that US assistance for the ANSF would continue after the withdrawal.
“We hope through our continued support, the Afghan security forces can be effective, but we expect that this will be a challenge for them,” said Austin.
Milley told reporters that the primary objective for the US military in Afghanistan at this point is to complete a safe and coordinated withdrawal no later than September.
According to Milley, a military base in Helmand was closed, and approximately 60 C-17 transport aircraft had departed with various equipment.
“Over 1,300 pieces of equipment have been transferred either to the Defence Logistics Agency for destruction or to the ANSF for their use.”
The top general said the US military would deploy six additional B-52 bombers and 12 F-18 fighters to offer contingency support during the withdrawal.
The military earlier had sent B-52 bombers and extended the deployment of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier to the region to increase force protection.
Taliban
The White House said last week that elements of an Army Ranger Task Force would also temporarily deploy to Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden in April announced the withdrawal would begin on May 1, the deadline date for a full US withdrawal under an agreement reached between the former Donald Trump administration and the Taliban.
The Taliban had warned of consequences if the Biden administration fails to follow through that deadline.
About 3,500 US forces and 7,000 NATO troops will be withdrawn before September 11, the day which is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew America into the war in Afghanistan.
Taliban threats came as the United States have begun drawdown of its troops in Afghanistan and violence have escalated in the country….reports Asian Lite News
Taliban have issued a threat to Afghan media outlets and have accused them of siding with Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, saying “media must be aware” to maintain their neutrality and avoid becoming the Kabul administration’s propaganda tool.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Taliban spokesman Zabullah Mujahid said the Kabul administration’s National Directorate of Security is directly involved in activities to distort public views, Khamma Press reported.
He said that “media must be aware” to maintain their neutrality, and that in such a sensitive situation media should avoid becoming the Kabul administration’s propaganda tool.
Taliban threats came as the United States have begun drawdown of its troops in Afghanistan and violence have escalated in the country.
Earlier in June of 2019, the Taliban had issued a threat to the Afghan media outlets saying journalists will be targeted unless news outlets stop publishing and broadcasting what they call government propaganda against the insurgents.
Since then, journalists, media professionals and staffers came under attacks and fell victims to targeted killings.
According to reports at least 20 Journalists and media workers have been the victims of Targeted attacks in the past six months including eight including four women were killed and dozens have received death threats for their work.
United Mission in a report on February 2021 said at least 11 human rights defenders and media workers were killed in targeted attacks between September 2020 to January 2021.
Taliban have launched a new wave of offensive in several Afghan cities and are resorting to bombings and heavy weapons after the United States missed May 1 deadline to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
Several cities around Afghanistan are witnessing the wrath of the Taliban’s attacks. The Afghan forces have suffered heavy casualties in the past few days as they fought back the terror group offensive.
Taliban fighters have captured a key district in northern Afghanistan while thousands of civilians have fled their homes in the southern part of the country to escape violent attacks by the group after the withdrawal of US forces from a military base in the area, officials said on Wednesday.
The rugged Burka district in Baghlan, one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban overnight after the militant group staged an attack on government forces, Javid Basharat, a spokesman for Baghlan’s governor, told Arab News. (ANI)
It comes at a time when the United States military forces are preparing to completely withdraw from the country….reports Asian Lite News
Taliban have captured a key district in northern Afghanistan while thousands of civilians have fled their homes in the southern part of the country to escape the violent attacks, according to Arab News report.
It comes at a time when the United States military forces are preparing to completely withdraw from the country.
The rugged Burka district in Baghlan, one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban overnight after the militant group staged an attack on government forces, Javid Basharat, a spokesman for Baghlan’s governor, told Arab News.
The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan has further intensified since the start of the withdrawal of the US-led forces from the country on May 1 as the Taliban militants have stepped up activities, officials said.
Taliban
According to the security officials, the Taliban has intensified activities in Helmand, Zabul, Baghlan, Herat, Farah, Faryab, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces, and scores of militants and security personnel have been killed, reports Xinhua news agency.
Confirming impetus in fighting, a spokesman for the Defence Ministry Fawad Aman told local media on Wednesday that violent incidents have increased over the past three days, adding the Taliban militants have suffered huge casualties.
A total of 20 security personnel and 180 Taliban militants have been killed and 87 more insurgents injured, according to the official.
Fighting has increased since May 1, the day the US administration formally started pulling out its forces from Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has welcomed the foreign forces’ withdrawal but blamed the US for violation of the Doha agreement under which Washington was bound to complete the withdrawal on May 1.
Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints and killed nine soldiers in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of northern Baghlan province on Monday night, stormed security checkpoints in the neighboring Burka district on Tuesday, and overran district headquarters early Wednesday.
Police described the district collapse as “tactical retreat” while the Taliban outfit claimed victory and said the district headquarters, police head office and all administrative offices in Burka have been captured.
Taliban militants have been attempting to overrun the key city of Lashkar Gah in the south and neighboring Ghazni and Farah provinces, but failed after suffering huge casualties and leaving 39 bodies behind outside Lashkar Gah, said an army statement on Wednesday.
Mujahid has rejected the claim as groundless, insisting that the armed group has inflicted casualties on government forces, saying 10 government soldiers were killed and 15 others captured in Baghlan province on Monday.
More than 20 people killed in clashes in last 24 hours in Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News
The Taliban has conducted 141 attacks in Afghanistan over the last 24 hours, mostly in Uruzgan, Zabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Badakhshan and Takhar provinces, sources said.
Information obtained by TOLO News shows that at least 20 people were killed in the attacks.
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said that more than 100 Taliban fighters were also killed in the last 24 hours.
The militant group has however, rejected the figure.
Data collected by TOLO News revealed that in the last 30 days, 438 members of Afghan forces and civilians were killed and more than 500 others were injured.
The data shows that 190 bombings, targeted attacks and offensives took place in the last month.
The figures come as US forces started their withdrawal from Afghanistan on May 1.
The Defence Ministry said that Camp Antonik in the Washir district in the southern province of Helmand was officially handed over to the Afghan National Army’s 215 Maiwand Corp on Sunday.
The Ministry said the camp will be used as a base for Afghan special forces.
With US President Joe Biden extending the deadline for withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the security in the national capital was ramped up on Saturday as the city prepared for reaction from the insurgent Taliban, according to reports.
The US troops are still present in Afghanistan after Biden ordered extension of withdrawal deadline beyond May 1 which was agreed in by the Donald Trump administration.
According to media reports, an increased military presence and security at checkpoints were visible in the Afghan capital, and a security source said the city had been placed on “high alert”. Military patrols and security were being increased in main cities around the country.
Last week, five soldiers and eight militants were killed when fighting erupted in Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province, a local source confirmed on Sunday.
The clashes broke out when armed militants stormed an Afghan Regional Army’s checkpoint in surrounding areas of restive Wardoj district at midnight, Abdul Raziq from the Afghan national army’s 217 Pamir Corps told the Xinhua news agency.
Falcon is not hearing the falconer. Taliban, the creation of the Pakistan army and the ISI, ignore the Rawalpindi request to join the Afghan peace talks in Istanbul …. Writes Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha
Pakistan is not happy with the Taliban. A report by prominent Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir published in The News, a daily newspaper, says that Pakistani security officials have approached the Afghan Taliban leadership in Doha and made it very clear to them that their refusal to participate in the Istanbul Conference was a big blow to the Afghan Peace Process and if they do not show some flexibility they will have to face the consequences.
“Enough is enough” message has been given to the Talibani leadership and the same message was conveyed to the Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani by the Pakistani delegation last week in Kabul.
According to Pakistani sources, the news has emanated from an “off the record” briefing by Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at an “Iftar” party hosted by him for a bunch of “trusted” media persons at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi. Bajwa shared a lot of “information” with them but asked the journalists not to attribute the news to army sources.
The report says that the Taliban thinks that India started engaging with Pakistan recently just because India does not want Islamabad to object to its new role in Afghanistan.
This information was “leaked” by the Pakistani army chief Bajwa at a time when a lot of key changes are taking place in Afghanistan, which have crucial bearing on Pakistan’s national security and strategic interests in the long run.
Bajwa is worried because he does not trust the Taliban and he would not like them moving closer to India. Pakistani security agencies found some links between Afghan Taliban and groups related to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), “They are two faces of the same coin.” The PTT is staunchly opposed to the Pakistani establishment.
The India factor
Bajwa saw the ground situation changing last year when US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said that India should discuss its concerns on terrorism directly with the Taliban. The US envoy had discussed how India could play a “more active role” in the Afghan reconciliation process during his talks in Delhi.
Ashraf-Ghani
Khalilzad told Indian media that it is for India to decide its role, but engagement between India and all the key players in Afghanistan, not only in terms of the government but also in terms of political forces, society and the Afghan body politic, is appropriate given India’s regional and global position. India is an important force in Afghanistan and it would be appropriate for the India-Taliban engagement to take place.
This was followed by a Taliban statement saying the group would like to have a positive relationship with India and welcomed New Delhi’s cooperation in Afghanistan. The Taliban also said that it does not support Pakistan’s ‘holy war’ against India and that Kashmir was India’s internal matter.
Taliban’s spokesperson Mohammad Suhail Shaheen told an Indian audience through a webinar speech last year in April, that the group wants to build ties with India and even was willing to enact a law against foreign terror groups conducting operations against any other country.
“Linking the issue of Kashmir with that of Afghanistan by some parties will not aid in improving the crisis at hand because the issue of Afghanistan is not related.
Pakistan’s military establishment feels that Taliban may be looking for an opportunity to break away from Pakistan stranglehold to chart out an independent path by taking on board all sections of Afghan society for a futuristic settlement to the Afghan problem.
The current Taliban leadership is known to be based in Doha. Mullah Baradar, the Taliban chief negotiator in Qatar was held by Pakistan for close to 10 years. Similarly, many other senior leaders would want to break free. In the past Taliban leaders have shown an inclination to chalk out an independent path without the baggage of Pakistani patronage leading to factional fights.
While some experts believe that Taliban wants to change its image which has been that of a pawn of Pakistan, others believe that it is merely a ploy by the Taliban to project a better image.
Afghanistan was the focus at the Heart of Asia Conference held in Tajikistan on 30 March and India was represented by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations”. He also declared India’s support for a regional process to be convened under the aegis of the United Nations.
According to experts, India wants to safeguard its interests and investments in Afghanistan which run into billions. This calls for good relations with the upcoming leadership in Kabul, irrespective of who rules. This would also help to avert any future threats from its economic and political foes, both Islamabad and Beijing.
India’s soft power is likely to have some influence over the Afghan government. If the Taliban comes to power, it may consider a positive political approach to New Delhi as India can play an important role in the development of Afghanistan.
Taliban thinks that India started engaging with Pakistan recently just because India does not want Islamabad to object to its new role in Afghanistan, reports Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha
Pakistan is not happy with the Taliban. A report by prominent Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir published in The News, a daily newspaper, says that Pakistani security officials have approached the Afghan Taliban leadership in Doha and made it very clear to them that their refusal to participate in the Istanbul Conference was a big blow to the Afghan Peace Process and if they do not show some flexibility they will have to face the consequences.
“Enough is enough” message has been given to the Talibani leadership and the same message was conveyed to the Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani by the Pakistani delegation last week in Kabul.
According to Pakistani sources, the news has emanated from an “off the record” briefing by Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at an “Iftar” party hosted by him for a bunch of “trusted” media persons at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi. Bajwa shared a lot of “information” with them but asked the journalists not to attribute the news to army sources.
The report says that the Taliban thinks that India started engaging with Pakistan recently just because India does not want Islamabad to object to its new role in Afghanistan.
Pakistan Generals worried that India may bond with Taliban
This information was “leaked” by the Pakistani army chief Bajwa at a time when a lot of key changes are taking place in Afghanistan, which have crucial bearing on Pakistan’s national security and strategic interests in the long run.
Bajwa is worried because he does not trust the Taliban and he would not like them moving closer to India. Pakistani security agencies found some links between Afghan Taliban and groups related to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), “They are two faces of the same coin.” The PTT is staunchly opposed to the Pakistani establishment.
The India factor
Bajwa saw the ground situation changing last year when US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said that India should discuss its concerns on terrorism directly with the Taliban. The US envoy had discussed how India could play a “more active role” in the Afghan reconciliation process during his talks in Delhi.
Khalilzad told Indian media that it is for India to decide its role, but engagement between India and all the key players in Afghanistan, not only in terms of the government but also in terms of political forces, society and the Afghan body politic, is appropriate given India’s regional and global position. India is an important force in Afghanistan and it would be appropriate for the India-Taliban engagement to take place.
This was followed by a Taliban statement saying the group would like to have a positive relationship with India and welcomed New Delhi’s cooperation in Afghanistan.
The Taliban also said that it does not support Pakistan’s ‘holy war’ against India and that Kashmir was India’s internal matter.
Pakistan Generals worried that India may bond with Taliban
Taliban’s spokesperson Mohammad Suhail Shaheen told an Indian audience through a webinar speech last year in April, that the group wants to build ties with India and even was willing to enact a law against foreign terror groups conducting operations against any other country.
“Linking the issue of Kashmir with that of Afghanistan by some parties will not aid in improving the crisis at hand because the issue of Afghanistan is not related.
Pakistan’s military establishment feels that Taliban may be looking for an opportunity to break away from Pakistan stranglehold to chart out an independent path by taking on board all sections of Afghan society for a futuristic settlement to the Afghan problem.
The current Taliban leadership is known to be based in Doha. Mullah Baradar, the Taliban chief negotiator in Qatar was held by Pakistan for close to 10 years. Similarly, many other senior leaders would want to break free. In the past Taliban leaders have shown an inclination to chalk out an independent path without the baggage of Pakistani patronage leading to factional fights.
While some experts believe that Taliban wants to change its image which has been that of a pawn of Pakistan, others believe that it is merely a ploy by the Taliban to project a better image.
Afghanistan was the focus at the Heart of Asia Conference held in Tajikistan on 30 March and India was represented by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations”. He also declared India’s support for a regional process to be convened under the aegis of the United Nations.
According to experts, India wants to safeguard its interests and investments in Afghanistan which run into billions. This calls for good relations with the upcoming leadership in Kabul, irrespective of who rules. This would also help to avert any future threats from its economic and political foes, both Islamabad and Beijing.
India’s soft power is likely to have some influence over the Afghan government. If the Taliban comes to power, it may consider a positive political approach to New Delhi as India can play an important role in the development of Afghanistan.
(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
