Not sure peace talks will give positive result: Khalid

KABUL for lacking commitment to peace, saying Afghan forces would have made many achievements had the peace negotiations not been launched.

The Wolesi Jirga or lower house of Parliament is expected to grant the trust vote to 10 ministers designate next Thursday. Three nominees introduced their future plans to the house on Monday and three more today. Four others will share their plans Wednesday.

Asadullah Khalid, acting defense minister and minister designate, who presented his plans to the Wolesi Jirga today, said that he was not sure if the ongoing negotiations in Qatar would produce a positive outcome. He believed the Taliban were not committed to peace in Afghanistan.

He said the insurgents used the Qatar talks for deception and had no will to reduce violence or agree on peace.

“I’m not against peace, but we do not see any will for peace from the enemy side and their regional and international supporters. Taliban training centers are still active in Quetta, Miran Shah, Karachi and Lahore of Pakistan and their wounded fighters are being treated in these centers,” he alleged.

About concerns regarding withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, Khalid said the number of foreign troops would probably reduce or increase, but there were no signs of their full withdrawal from the country.

He said 96 percent of operations were conducted by Afghan security forces while foreign forces played only four percent role in this regard. “Even if foreign forces are withdrawn, Afghan forces can defend their country”, he said.

“We have no worries and are ready for independent defense, Afghan security forces would defend every inch of their land,” he said.

Khalid added additional units codenamed ‘Rangers’ would be created under the framework of the military corps in the next one year and they would be more equipped and qualified compared to current Afghan National Army.

He said Dasht-i-Archi district of Kunduz province which had fallen to the Taliban was recaptured and a cleaning operation was ongoing in the area.

“The ministry’s detective section controls 60 percent of the country’s territory with the help of drone aircrafts and the rest parts of the country would be also controlled during the next one year”, he said.

Nine districts have been recaptured from the Taliban and 700 soldiers in the rebels’ custody were rescued in the past one year, he said.

He said the ministry’s next plan was to secure the country’s highways and target financial sources of the Taliban.

mds/ma