Militancy in Afghanistan continues amid peace talks in Doha

KABUL - Contrary to expectations among Afghans, the insurgency and fighting have been continuing at home amid peace talks in Doha to find a negotiated solution to Afghanistan’s protracted war. The much-awaited intra-Afghan dialogue begun on Sept. 12 in Qatar capital Doha but the dialogue has yet to deliver.

The demands of many Afghans for a ceasefire, at least during the peace talks, have been ignored and violent fightings have been continuing across the insurgency-plagued country. Spokesman for the Defense Ministry Fawad Aman told local media that Taliban militants launched attacks on 24 out of the country’s 34 provinces in 24 hours, which demonstrated an increase in Taliban violent offensives. Rejecting the claim, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in contact with media said the armed group had reduced violence. Amid trading accusations, over 60 Afghans including 14 civilians, according to security officials, have been killed since Sunday in Afghanistan. In the meantime, a lack of progress in the peace process has weakened the trust of Afghans for the ongoing dialogue in Doha. “The Doha peace talks is a US-sponsored peace dialogue that won’t deliver, because the so-called US-led war on terror has failed to diminish the terrorist groups in Afghanistan over the past 19 years and her peace efforts won’t be different than her anti-terror war,” Kabul resident Abdul Haq told Xinhua on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Rasoul Talib, a member of the Afghan government negotiating team in Doha, described the ongoing peace talks as a “complicated process.”

(Xinhua)