Tired of war, Dostum calls for national reconciliation

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Jumbish Party chief Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum has urged the Afghans to demonstrate mutual accommodation and refrain from fighting as it offers no solution to their problems.

In an interview with the BBC, he sent a message to the interim Afghan government and sad fighting, elimination of one another and isolation of rivals could not resolve problems.

He stressed being Muslims and Afghans all people of the country should accept one another and avoid indulging in another war.

Dostum, who also served as vice-president and defence minister, said he did not want fighting. He hoped the interim government too would not opt for fighting.

“I want to tell the Taliban that we cannot eradicate them through fighting. We tried this once but they resurged, all are tired of fighting. I don’t want fighting and the Taliban should also accept this.”

Dostum, also a member of the High Council of Resistance, asked the Taliban to hold negotiations with them.

Referring to the closure of girls’ schools, he said the rising Afghan generation, including females, could not afford curbs on education.

nh/mud