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Taliban would not hesitate to kill entire gov’t negotiating team: Saleh
Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Sunday blamed the Taliban for the attack on peace negotiator Fawzia Koofi.
Koofi and her sister came under attack by unknown armed men on Friday afternoon on the Kabul-Parwan highway in Qarabagh district of Kabul.
She escaped unharmed in the attack but she sustained minor injuries and was said to be in good health condition.
Saleh called the attack an “anti-human and a terrorist” act which he said was coordinated by the Taliban, adding that the group would kill the entire negotiating team if it could.
In a message on his Facebook page, Saleh wrote, “Only the Taliban and their followers seek their interest in eliminating the voice of diversity from Afghanistan. If the group got the chance they would not hesitate to kill the entire peace negotiators and the Taliban would kill them all in a suicide attack.”
It comes as the intra-Afghan talks, aimed to find a political settled to end the long-term conflict in the war-weary country, is expected to kick start after the Afghan government completes the release process of the final batch of Taliban inmates.
Mohammad Mohaqqeq, leader of Hezbe Wahdat-e Islami party said” “There are two motivations to bring peace in Afghanistan. First, the strong will of the Afghans, and secondly, the foreigners. This process, at least, will last two until three months.”
Meanwhile, the government announced its full preparations to kick off the negotiations.
“There is no complexity from our side, and we are ready to start the negotiations at any time, “said Nader Naderi, a peace negotiator.
The Taliban, on the other hand, underline that the Afghan government hasn’t done any fundamental work, and even the prisoner release has been delayed for several reasons which create an atmosphere of mistrust.
It comes as the Taliban on Saturday urged all laterals involved in peace process to avoid remarks that could damage the process.
“Peace talks and negotiations require all sides to display sincerity and truthfulness. Propaganda, unwarranted remarks and provocative comments do not benefit any side,” the group said in a statement.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
A high-ranking Uzbek delegation comprising government officials and private sector representatives from the Republic of Karakalpakstan arrived in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
The delegation is headed by Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the delegation is expected to hold talks with Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
The ministry said the visiting delegation will also participate in trade connectivity meetings and business-to-business sessions aimed at enhancing commercial cooperation between the two sides.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation is also scheduled to travel to Balkh province, where members will attend additional trade meetings and inaugurate an exhibition showcasing Uzbekistan’s domestic products.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
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