Ashraf Ghani asks clerics to urge Taliban to call ceasefire

KABUL: Amid continuing violence in the country and the delay in the start of dialogue between Afghans, the Afghan government has now reached out to religious scholars to urge the Taliban to call a ceasefire and reduce violence.

As peace talks are set to begin, violence has escalated in the country and fighting between government forces and the Taliban continues in several provinces. In the past week, a number of city centers and highways, including Samangan, Ghazni, and major highways in the north and west, have also witnessed attacks. Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani said during a visit to Ghazni province yesterday that the continuation of Taliban’s war will increase hatred in the country.

“I call on all clerics to raise their voices so the Taliban accepts the ceasefire. Raise this call! he said, “These killings are against Islam, Afghans and the nation.” The president also said that in order to reduce the violence, he has stopped the aggressive attacks of the government forces in the country:” But one thing they (Taliban) should know that if they (Taliban) move against agreements, I am a patient human, but if you (Taliban) make me angry then you will never complain again,” Ghani added. A few days ago, the Taliban blew up a car full of explosives near an NDS building in Samangan province. About 50 people were killed and injured in the incident. A number of members of parliament have also accused the involved parties, especially the Taliban, of violating the agreement to reduce violence in the country. “The Taliban have never lived up to their promise. We make sacrifices every day across Afghanistan. Our security forces are on the defensive, but the Taliban attacks every day in the centers, districts and provinces. In Samangan we witnessed suicide and explosion,” said Ziauddin Akazai, an MP.

A number of members of the Nangarhar Provincial Council also report that the security situation in the province is deteriorating. “With the help of the Taliban and the ISI, a number of foreign insurgents have entered Nangarhar via Parachinar (capital city of Kurram District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) and once again want to make Nangarhar and the the entire east insecure,” said Ahmad Ali, Nangarhar’s provincial council head.

Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, also said Thursday that US forces had carried out airstrikes in Zabul, Helmand and Ghazni provinces, which, he said, were non-combat areas based on the peace agreement. So far, US forces have not commented. Statistics obtained by the media showed that the number of Taliban attacks has increased in the last four months.