harm during their attack on parliament due to the readiness of the Afghan security forces is being cited as an example that the Afghan government is capable of keeping the rampaging Taliban at bay.
The Taliban, on the other hand, are hailing the seven suicide bombers who managed to dodge the maximum security arrangements in Kabul to reach their target. The fact that they were able to smuggle weapons and explosives undetected to the gates of parliament is being lauded as an example of their courage and ingenuity and the failure of the hundreds of soldiers, cops and intelligence personnel guarding Kabul. Taliban supporters consider the seven men as heroes for voluntarily taking part in the ‘fidayee’ (suicide) mission and offering the supreme sacrifice of life as part of the ‘jihad’ against the pro-west unity government of President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Dr Abdullah.
In due course of time, the final statements of the Taliban suicide bombers will be released through a video and their sacrifice will be publicised in music-free songs and anthems.
Esa Khan is an ethnic Pakhtun and so were most of the Taliban attackers. They were firmly in rival camps and ready to kill each other. The Taliban are convinced they are waging ‘jihad’ while President Ghani recently declared that the Afghan army is fighting a ‘jihad’ against the enemies of Afghanistan.
The terms ‘jihad’ and ‘mujahideen’ have been frequently used in Afghanistan for the last 37 years to motivate the people to sacrifice their life for the sake of Islam and the homeland. More often than not, these terms have been misused to justify killings.
The recent happenings at the parliament building in Kabul were just one episode of the widening and unending war in Afghanistan. Esa Khan’s bravery could inspire more Afghans, particularly soldiers and cops, to fight harder against the Taliban. And the failure of the attack on parliament, despite the sacrifice of seven Taliban fighters, would motivate rather than demoralise the Taliban to undertake more and better-planned attacks.
The internecine Afghan conflict has become more brutal and bloodier because the element of revenge is now foremost on the minds of the two sides. There is an urgent need to stop this bloodletting because the production of new heroes on either side would serve as a motivating factor to fight on.
The writer is resident editor of The News in Peshawar.
Email: rahimyusufzaiyahoo.com