Ghani doubts Taliban commitment to peace

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said that the Taliban has increased attacks against the Afghan forces following signing the Doha agreement with the United States.

Ghani visited Logar on Wednesday morning, leading a high-level government delegation to review the situation in the province.

During a meeting with provincial officials and tribal elders in the province, Ghani said the Taliban yet to stop violence against Afghan forces and that the group is not committed to bringing peace in the country.

President Ghani acknowledges that there are challenges to the peace process, but says these challenges will not stop people to achieve the peace.

“I want the bloodshed to end in the country. On Eid, the whole world said 400 Taliban prisoners should be released, but the Afghan government agreed to release 200 prisoners. But if the Taliban continue the war,” said President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. “The Afghan people will stand up against them.”

Ghani further said the current security situation in Logar is unacceptable; emphasizing that serious measures will be taken to ensure the security of the Kabul-Gardez highway as well as the Azra district route in the province.

“The security of Logar linked to the security of the Kabul-Gardiz highway. The security of all districts must be ensured. All security agencies have been instructed to pay attention to this issue.”

Meanwhile, a number of Logar Provincial Council members say that the central government has neglected infrastructure, health, education, and security projects in the province. They called on the president to live up to his commitments.

President also pledged to invest in chromite extraction mine in the southeast of the country.