Taliban attacks on govt soar, US hits back

Ag Agencies

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, as violence spirals after a string of deadly attacks by the Taliban, throwing the country’s nascent peace process into grave doubt.

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.

Provincial police spokesman Mohammad Zaman Hamdard said, "In the past two days we have witnessed the most intense Taliban attacks in Helmand."

"They have attacked several districts and many military bases," he added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the Senate that Pakistan could not take all the 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 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 began 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 down 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 take confidence building measures to cope with it.

He said it was also part of CBMs to have a review of the sanctions on Taliban leaders and the US should talk to other members of the UN Council regarding this. And, the US and its allies would not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs while Taliban would also give a clear message of not targeting US and its allies and desist from allowing terrorist outfits, like Daesh, IS and al-Qaeda to use Afghan soil for terror hits and there would be no permission to such elements to collect funds, recruit persons and train them in Afghanistan.

He said that Kabul should have no concern, as Iran and Pakistan do not want Daesh to get 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 added voices in this regard in the Houses were imperative and appreciated the senators expressing their concern regarding the Haj form issue.

“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 about the matter until brought to his notice. He blamed some of his ministry person(s) for the data form adjustment but the original form had the declaration to be signed by an intending pilgrim.

The minister said he had no objection how the House wanted to probe the matter of ‘missing of 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 o foil such conspiracy.

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

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 had been passed in the Senate, but was not being taken up by the assembly. She wanted the chair to ask for its reasons.