Say yes to peace if you are Afghans, Sayyaf tells Taliban

KABUL leader Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf on Tuesday said they would jump into the battlefield without seeking government’s permission if the country’s security situation went out of control.

Speaking at a gathering marking the second death anniversary of first vice-president Marshal Qasim Fahim in Kabul, Sayyaf stressed people’s involvement in the peace talks.

The Islamic scholar said those opposing peace offer were refusing God’s orders and they were enemies of Afghanistan.

He asked the government to involve all people in the peace process and develop a political consensus about the reconciliation, saying they were ready to perform all their responsibilities.

He said the nation should be kept abreast about any development in the peace process, otherwise the government would regret its decisions.

Sayyaf praised the Afghan security forces and said some elements were creating doubts in their minds whether fighting the rebels was legitimate or not.

“I say protecting Muslims’ lands, honour, homes, property and lives is a religious duty and everyone creating doubts in the minds of our soldiers is not the son of the soil, they are burden on this soil.”

Addressing security forces, the jihadi leader said he would stand by them in a dire situation. He said they had many times asked the government to pave the ground for partnership with the masses for the defence of the country.

“If we see our country and our honour is threatened, we will go to the battlefield without seeking permission from the government.”

Sayyaf warned if Afghanistan’s single political geography was relinquished as part of the peace process, it would be an irreparable betrayal. He said the Afghans wanted a united Afghanistan.

To the Taliban, Sayyaf said if their war was for the country, it was destroying the country and if their war was for Islam, it was not. “You are mistaken and misguided; don’t let others to use you.”

“If you are the sons of this country, say yes to the peace call. The motherland’s lap is open for you. This is not an ungrateful nation, those who have served this nation they are placed like eyeliner in their eyes.”

Sayyaf said the conflict in Afghanistan was benefitting outsiders and the Afghans were used like a fuel.

“Everyone knows our history, many empires are buried here. Afghanistan is not a sweet loaf one can digest, it is full of thorns. No one can wipe Afghanistan from the world’s map. Afghanistan will remain until the world is there.”

He told the international community if they abandoned Afghanistan, the country would once again become a safe haven for terrorists and no country would be safe from them neither in the east nor the west.

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