AFGHAN PEOPLE DESERVE PEACE
Years of bloodshed have left the Afghan people tired and desperate. An entire generation of children has witnessed only senseless violence day in and day out. With US President Donald Trump requesting Pakistan’s full support for the US effort to advance the Afghan peace process and Islamabad assuring visiting US special representative Zalmay Khalilzad that it would back a negotiated settlement with the Taliban, peace efforts seem to be gathering momentum.
US Secretary of Defence James Mattis too has called for the international community to help end the war in Afghanistan and aid regional leaders in their efforts to bridge longstanding DISAGREEMENTS, saying that Conlicts In AFGHANISTAN HAVE now Gone on For 40 years.
The violence has been taking a heavy toll on all sides and the CIVILIANS ARE THE worst AFFECTED. SINCE 2015, more than 28,000 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed.
In November, dozens of elite commandos were among the casualties suffered by Afghan security forces as the Taliban claimed to have taken a district in Ghazni province.
As per THE Pentagon, THERE ARE About 14,000 US SERVICE members In AFGHANISTAN. More than 2,400 US Forces HAVE DIED In THE 17-year-old war.
ACCORDING to UN igures, THERE were 649 CIVILIAN Casualties From AIR strikes In THE irst nine months of THE year, more than In Any Entire year SINCE At least 2009, when UNAMA BEGAN systematic Documentation of Casualty igures.
The UAE, on its part, has always stood by Afghan people and peace. Participating in the recent Geneva International Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva, the UAE unambiguously highlighted the importance of supporting development, stability and peace in Afghanistan on the political, security, economic and humanitarian levels.
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Political Affairs, who headed the delegation, reiterated the country’s support for the political process and its appreciation of the efforts of Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan, to begin peace talks.
Incidentally, the value of UAE’S development aid to Afghanistan Amounts to Around $414 million.
THE question remains How long THE Conlict would Continue. All sides should realise that there is absolutely no alternative to dialogue, especially in matters like these.
The Afghan people have suffered for too long for no mistake of theirs. Let good sense prevail. It’s time for all parties to move on to THE DIALOGUE TABLE, with A SINCERE HEART AND LEXIBLE Approach. Enough is enough. ■■■