Mohib: Ready to control situation after foreign troops exit

KABUL (Pajhwok): National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib on Saturday the government was ready to deal with any difficult situation arising from withdrawal of foreign forces and the Taliban could not come to power by force.

Mohib made these remarks at a joint press conference with the director of Nation Directorate of Security, interior and acting defense ministers.

He said the Taliban were not committed to peace and hey have once again showed the people of Afghanistan that they prefer war to peace by declining to attend a scheduled conference in Turkey on the Afghan peace process.

A UN-sponsored meeting on peace in Afghanistan was scheduled to take place in Turkey on April 24 with representatives of the Afghan side, politicians and some countries, but the huddle was postponed due to the Taliban’s absence.

Moheb said the armed opposition think they can rule the people of Afghanistan by force, but this is a misguided idea. “I urge the Taliban to choose the path of peace because they cannot to come to power by force.”

The NSA also said most of Taliban prisoners who were released last time were drug smugglers. “If the Taliban want to release their prisoners, they should provide a list that does not include smugglers.”

“Some people may be worried about the withdrawal of US troops, but there is a government here. I assure the people that there is nothing to worry about. We have the ability to control the situation,” he added.

Mohib said that they were ready to control and prevent any terrorist incidents and there is good coordination among the security sector in this regard.

Ahmad Zia Siraj, director general of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), said a group of six people had been arrested in Takhar province for kidnapping a businessman, one of whom had been released as a Taliban prisoner.

He also claimed that deep divisions had arisen among the Taliban’s Quetta and Peshawar councils.

“These differences are increasing day by day, as they are thinking of sharing their interests if the foreign troops leave Afghanistan, the Afghan security forces will be able to defend their people and their country”, Siraj said.

Acting Defense Minister and Chief of Staff General Yasin Zia said the Taliban were also using women and children in the fighting and did not care about civilians killed in the fighting.

He said the situation was not worrying, but it was a matter of pride that all operations were in the hands of Afghan forces.

He added that NATO forces remained in Bagram and Mazar-i-Sharif only and other bases had been handed over to Afghan forces.

Bk/ma