Ghani drums up regional backing for peace initiative

S. Muddasir Ali Shah

KABUL: Growing terrorism posed a serious threat to Afghanistanand other regional countries, President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday, stressing the need for joint efforts to counter the menace.

Addressing the opening session of the Tashkent international conference on Afghanistan, he urged all regional countries to stand by his administration’s efforts for peace talks with the Taliban.

Terrorists did not recognise geography, the president was quoted as saying by local TV channels.

He drummed up support for his initiative to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

The Afghans had rendered great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, he said.

Afghanistan would do all it could to bring about peace, Ghani promised, arguing the recent Kabul Process Conference in Kabul demonstrated Afghanistan’s seriousness about ending the war.

About the threat from the Islamic State terrorist group that has lately conducted deadly attacks in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan, he said the outfit had about 2,000 members fighting in his country. More than a thousand Daesh insurgents have been killed during operations so far, according to the president, who commended the Afghan security forces’ valour in combating the terrorist group.

President Ashraf Ghani called for close regional cooperation and joint efforts to deal with the terrorist threat. A strong political was needed to exploit opportunities for regional prosperity.

His Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking to the delegates, said the war on terrorism was a common cause. Greater cooperation with Afghanistan in the education sector was an imperative, he added.  (Pajhwok)