Khalid warns against any deal in peace process

KABUL (TOLO News): Addressing Army soldiers at a ceremony in central Maidan Wardak province, Acting Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid said the Afghan forces are fighting for peace and that any deal in the peace talks which will result in “transition of power” will not be acceptable to them.

His remarks come amid ongoing efforts by the Afghan government and the US for finding a political settlement to the problem in Afghanistan. As part of these efforts, the US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is on a multi-nation trip on Afghan peace.

He will visit Afghanistan and will meet the Taliban in Doha for the seventh round of his talks with senior members of the group.

“We have a fear that this peace might move toward a transition of power which we will never let this happen,” Khalid said.

Meanwhile, the US and NATO forces commander in Afghanistan Gen. Scott Miller, who accompanied Khalid in his visit to Wardak, said Eid offers an opportunity to understand how to reduce violence.

“I think that Eid, Ramadan, Eid and Eid of sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) offer us an opportunity to understand how to reduce civilian causalities, reduce violence on our sides. It was good to have the people of the province here and I think you all to be very proud of your security forces,” said Miller.

In this trip, Khalid and Miller met with local officials and Afghan forces and assessed the security situation in the province.