Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Release of Kidnapped

It is more than one and half decades since Taliban emerged to play a role in the political games in Afghanistan. Over this long period, the militants have been involved in some wicked terrorist acts and appallingly horrifying atrocities. They engaged in mass killing of Afghan people when they were trying to conquer the country before September 11, 2011.

The hard-line militants also oppressed Afghan citizens by implementing a strict version of Islamic teachings, particularly with regard to women and their education and social role. The Taliban regime left a scar on cultural conscience of Afghan people by blowing up Buda statues in Bamyan, a central province of Afghanistan.

Over the last ten years since the presence of the U.S.-led international community in Afghanistan, the Taliban insurgents have been involved in suicide attacks, roadside bombings and kidnappings, which often have ended in deaths.

They have been the cause of continuation of conflict in the country. The Taliban and other insurgent groups have hampered and obstructed reconstruction effort and economic restoration over the last one decade.

They have also burned schools and forced hundreds of schools to be closed down across the country, depriving millions of Afghan children of education. For the first time, the Taliban militants have claimed that they have released four Turkish engineers kidnapped by them eight months ago.

The four Turkish engineers were abducted from district of southeastern Paktia province. But reports say that tribal elders mediated the release. Haji Zahir, an influential person has said that he was approached by the Taliban two months ago.

He was asked to contact the Turkish embassy for the release of the four. He has also said that after a lot of efforts he could secure the release of these Turkish nationals, who were working at a new ANA military base in Patan district, and handed over to Turkish embassy officials at the PRT office in Ghazni province, which is going to be the capital of Islamic civilization in 2013.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, has said that the engineers were released in deference to Eidul-Fitr and Islamic brotherhood. He has denied any deal for the release. A released Turkish engineer named has said the Taliban released them based on Mullah Omar's degree, "We were released in compliance with a decree from Ameer-ul Momineen Mullah Mohammad Omar.

We are pleased to be joining our families after eight months." It is good news that these engineers are safe and sound and are able to join their families after months of ordeal. Turkey has played a vital role in reconstruction and development of Afghanistan over the last ten years.

Afghan government has been making efforts to reconcile with the Taliban but with the following conditions: one, they should accept Afghan constitution, which is a democratic one in the region. Two, the Taliban must break link with the al-Qaeda and other global and regional terrorist networks or terrorism sponsors.

Over the last sixteen years, the Taliban have dealt an irreparable blow to Afghanistan by providing safe haven for the global terrorists. Three, the Taliban and other insurgent outfits must denounce violent and announce their willingness to live an open society.

Taliban militants have been using violence to impose and enforce their totalitarian and hard-line interpretations of Islam. The militants have also set some preconditions for coming to negotiation table. They have asked for withdrawal of international forces from the country.

In their messages on the occasion of Eid, the militants once again insisted to continue the battle against the government and international forces operating in the country to stabilize and secure it. Afghan people support the reconciliation with Taliban based on the three above-mentioned conditions.

But Taliban's past and ongoing cruelties and atrocities as well as their destructive ideology make it difficult for them to join a normal life and coexist with other Afghans.