Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa is on the verge of civil war sparked by Al-Qaida linked insurgents. The gradual escalation of fighting in Mali and the involvement of many NATO states, with France leading, has focused world attention on West Africa. The concerns of international community surfaced when it was aired that large number of people were kept hostages including a number of notable foreign nationals; and some were reportedly killed by militants. Fierce fighting is taking place in northern Mali, where local militants, joined by sympathizers from other countries, have been challenging Bamako’s writ, running a parallel government, destroying the country’s cultural heritage and terrorizing the people.

The insurgents belonging to National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, in collaboration with Ansar Dine and Islamic Maghreb both Al-Qaida linked Jihadist groups, have established a stronghold in the region and intends to spread a stringent version of so called Sharia law throughout the country. The group is also accused of committing serious human rights violations, of propagating terror amongst the local population, and of desecrating important cultural monuments.

The real losers, however, are the Malian people, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled their homes in the northern areas to escape insurgents’ atrocities. As the militants’ behavior elsewhere in the world shows, it is their own people whom they persecute and turn into their enemies because of the harshness of their interpretation of religion.

Reportedly the militants want substituting the American hostages for prisoners held in the United States, including Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui and Egyptian Omar Abdul Rahman and want an end to war being launched by France in Azawad.       

Mali’s political crisis lays a clear intimation to Al-Qaida linked insurgents anywhere resort to defense of their key persons and implementation of extreme version of sharia laws as an excuse to worsened political instability. It is what exactly is happening in our beloved country where Al-Qaida affiliated Taliban are targeting innocent civilians committing heinous crimes against humanity, making the presence of foreign troops and Afghan constitution formulated under B-52 air raids as a pretext, justifying the relentless bloodshed of Afghans. The former brazening attack at NDS headquarter that led to sever losses was the continuance of civilian ordeals. Amidst the endless life losses in the so-called war waged by Taliban against innocent citizens, the international community and government’s inclination granting amnesty to Taliban members so that they may further their ill-intentions is beyond comprehension.

Adoption of political strategy to enduring security problems is evidently a just course of action. However, Taliban’s assurance granting general pardon to innocent citizens paired with their public renunciation of violence and unconditional agreement to disarmament should be set as preliminary requisites of negotiations. Otherwise Taliban might not deter turning Afghanistan into Mali.