Govt considering alternative routes to peace: Adviser

KABUL (Tolo News): President Ashraf Ghani’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has said that the Afghan government is working with various factions and considering a wide range of alternatives to achieve peace in the country.

Mohib said that any option for the future political system in Afghanistan needs a guarantee from the Taliban and must be backed up by a guarantee from the international community for peace to result. Mohib made the remarks on the final day of a three-day military demonstration and expo held by Afghan forces at Kabul’s Darul Aman Palace.

Mohib said that any plan or alternative should guarantee the restoration of real peace in Afghanistan. “We are holding discussions about a wide range of alternatives—but the fact is that the Taliban are busy waging war rather than talking peace,” said Mohib. “The international community and the Taliban should both give their guarantee to the Afghan people before anything else,” added Mohib.

At the same event, Afghan Minister of Interior Massoud Andarabi said that the Afghan security forces are fully prepared to aggressively respond to attacks if the peace negotiations do not result in a political settlement. “If (the Taliban) choose the path of war—you just saw here the capabilities of your armed forces and their equipment—God willing, (the ANDSF) will provide a jaw-breaking response,” said Andarabi.

Amin Agha serves in the ranks of the Special Operations Unit of the Afghan National Army. He expressed hope that peace will ultimately prevail. “The Special Operations Unit forces are completely prepared to stand against the enemy with full power,” he said. Kabul residents visited the demonstration.

“The Taliban are neither a political group nor a religious movement, they are Pakistani militias,” said Mehrabuddin, a resident in Kabul. “Our security forces shouldn’t feel they are alone; the Afghan people in general support their security forces,” said Abdul Malik Kohistani, a resident in Kabul. The Afghan government has stated that the ANDSF carried out 2,000 operations last year against the Taliban because of the group’s use of the civilian population as shelters.