Taliban attacks on govt soar, US hits back

KUNDUZ: The Taliban killed at least 20 Afghan soldiers and policemen in a string of overnight attacks, government officials said on Wednesday, hours after US President Donald Trump said he had a "very good" chat with their political chief.

The militants have ramped up violence against Afghan security forces in recent days, ending a partial truce put in place during the run-up to a landmark US-Taliban withdrawal deal signed in Doha on Saturday. "Taliban fighters attacked at least three army outposts in Imam Sahib District of Kunduz last night, killing at least 10 soldiers and four police," said Safiullah Amiri, a member of the provincial council. A defence ministry official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the army toll, while the provincial police spokesman Hejratullah Akbari confirmed the police fatalities. The insurgents also attacked police in central Uruzgan province Tuesday night, the governor’s spokesman Zergai Ebadi said, "Unfortunately, six police were killed and seven wounded."

The violence has cast a pall on the nascent Afghan peace process, with the insurgents clashing with Kabul over a prisoner exchange ahead of talks that are due to begin on March 10. On Tuesday Trump told reporters in Washington that he had a "very good" relationship with Taliban political chief Mulla Baradar, with the pair speaking on the phone for 35 minutes, according to the Taliban.

Meanwhile, the US launched an airstrike against Taliban fighters to defend Afghan forces, an American military spokesman said. US Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Sonny Leggett tweeted that the airstrike targeted Taliban fighters who were "actively attacking" an Afghan forces checkpoint in Helmand. "This was a defensive strike to disrupt the attack," he tweeted. "We call on the Taliban to stop needless attacks and uphold their commitments. As we have demonstrated, we will defend our partners when required." He said Taliban had carried out 43 attacks on checkpoints in Helmand on Tuesday alone.

In a related development, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the Senate that Pakistan could not take the entire responsibility for peace in Afghanistan, saying that this was a shared responsibility and all would have to play their role in this context. Briefing the House about the US-Taliban peace deal and its future prospects, the minister made it clear that Pakistan was never a part of the deal and added:" “Our role has always been and will always be that of a facilitator and not of a guarantor.” He pointed out that there were many powers, interests and motives and explained that the true test of the Afghan leadership has begun now. He said, "can they rise to the occasion and chart a peaceful way forward or not; only time will tell and within Afghans, there will have to be dialogue for which Norway has already offered to play a host.”

The minister said that the deal was the first step towards peace and conceded the path was not easy and that it would have many ups and downs and added many powers would not give priority to peace. He also said that the trust deficit between Taliban and others was not a secret but if they decided and agreed to sit across the table after years of fighting, they could require some confidence-building measures (CBMs). He said it was also part of CBMs to have a review of the sanctions against Taliban leaders and the US should talk to other members of the UN Security Council regarding this. Besides, the US and its allies would not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs while Taliban would also give a clear message of not targeting the US and its allies and desist from allowing terrorist outfits, like Daesh, IS and al-Qaeda to use Afghan soil for terror attacks and there would be no permission to such elements to collect funds, recruit persons and train them in Afghanistan. He said that Kabul should rest assure, both Iran and Pakistan do not want Daesh to become strengthened in Afghanistan.

Referring to Afghan leaders’ statements, he said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbours and could not remain indifferent to one another and peace and stability of either side was of mutual benefit and interest. He said Pakistan stood for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and wanted responsible withdrawal of foreign forces from that country. He also emphasised that there should be no role for India in terms of security in Afghanistan and that its role in the past was an open secret as it involved in terror activities in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri said the Finality of the Prophethood and the ‘Nazriya-e-Pakistan’ were interlinked and appreciated the senators for expressing their concern over the missing clause of Finality of the Prophethood in the Haj form. “No minister or a joint secretary or any other officer can allow anyone, who does not believe in the Finality of the Prophethood, to go for pilgrimage and has been declared a 'Kafir' by the religion and the Constitution of Pakistan,” he asserted.

He noted that the prime minister was the first to question him through WhatsApp message, as to what was going on in his ministry. He made it clear that there could be no question of a 'Kafir' being allowed to proceed for Haj. He reiterated that he was not aware of the issue until brought to his notice. He blamed some of his ministry official(s) for the data form adjustment but the original form had the declaration to be signed by an intending pilgrim. Qadri said he had no objection how the House wanted to probe the issue of ‘missing clause from the data form’ pertaining to the Finality of the Prophethood while opting for E-Haj system, as banks said that filling of 14 pages was lengthy and time-taking. But this all was done without bringing it to his notice. He emphasised that nothing against the Quran and Sunnah be allowed and he would always be the first to foil such conspiracy.

About the opposition senators’ criticism of a costly Haj package, he claimed in terms of dollar and Riyal, it was still cheaper than India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia and Afghanistan. He attributed devaluation of Pak currency for an increase in airfare and a significant increase in charges in Saudi Arabia, including visa fee, extra charges and the haj insurance.

The PPP parliamentary leader in the Senate, Sherry Rehman protested over non-inclusion of her bill in the National Assembly about early age marriages of girls. She noted her bill was passed in the Senate but was not being taken up by the assembly. She wanted the chair to inquire for its reasons.