Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Growing Taliban and Security Transition

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Growing Taliban and  Security Transition

It is thought that war against terrorism in Afghanistan has now reached to its final phase and would soon be concluded with the end of the transition period; this is, at least, what is thought by US, NATO and Afghan presidential office. Though it is easy to conclude that the war against terrorism that was initiated by US has reached to final phase, it is very difficult to suggest that it has been concluded, as some of the major issues still remain unresolved.

There are dangers that war may continue; if not the war against terrorism, some other war may be initiated, unless a true transition happens. So, in the so-called final phase of the war, the war is getting notorious to a larger extent. It is not just the Western public who consider it notorious; the people in Afghanistan have started thinking in the same manner. They are basically the ones who have been suffering and may suffer to a further extent if instability and terrorism prevail in the country.

It is really pathetic to see the civilians losing their lives when they have nothing to do with the war. In the economically unstable and war-torn country like Afghanistan, people have not only suffered the hardships of the poor and miserable lives but also the horrors of war.

They have been killed mercilessly as if their lives do not have any value or meaning and it is important to see that the so-called guardians of religion, the extremist religious groups that form Taliban are mostly behind the demise of the poor civilians. It is really unfortunate to note that they still remain powerful enough to conduct their merciless efforts to target the civilians in addition to the Afghan and international forces.

Some of the recent incidents in this regard are very much relevant. The incident of Qargha in Kabul clearly showed that now Taliban can openly target the civilians. Apart from the incident in Qargha, there have been several incidents, wherein civilians have become the victims because of Taliban.

There have been numerous road-side bombs set by Taliban that have targeted the innocent civilians. Different attacks, bombings, shootings and suicide bombings of the vicious guardians of the so-called holy war have only been able to target the children, women and non-military figures. With the presence of such facts, it is weird to find Taliban calling themselves friendly to Afghan people. They have been trying to develop an image of caring and affectionate body that is trying to liberate the people of Afghanistan from the Western forces.

But the fact is just on the contrary. They just want power and for that they will never hesitate to sacrifice the poor Afghan people. If they come to power, it is evident that Afghan people will never have peace, contentment and above all their due rights.

Another brutal incident was carried out by terrorists, most probably Taliban, on Monday, July 02, in Kandahar city that took the lives of at least seven civilians and injured more than 20 others. The incident was basically a suicide car bomb attack outside Kandahar University, few kilometers away from an important US military base.

The reports suggest that the attack was with the objective to target the Afghan civilians working at the US base. Many civilians related in some way or the other with the government or the national and international forces have been targeted by Taliban, without realizing the fact that they are just fulfilling their responsibilities as a part of their profession which is earning them some basic requirements of life.

Recently there have been many incidents that show that civilian lives have been under threat and the authorities responsible for the security have not been successful to the sufficient extent. Currently, a comprehensive deterioration has been observed in the security situation throughout the country, including the capital Kabul. Though high expectations are there from the security transition, the reality is that the situation may face further deterioration.

The terrorists have been able to hit very important targets in the last few months in the heart of the capital and other important places in the country, while the security measures have not been able to produce tangible outcomes.

If the security in the capital remains so much easy to penetrate, it would be really difficult to have high expectations from the situations in the areas that are remote and dominated by Taliban.
Coupled with the rise in terrorism and the urgency in transition there is the concern of the lack of professionalism and commitment of Afghan troops. They have not been able to show great determination towards their duties and seem to be easily distracted by the terrorists.

There have been many occasions when Afghan soldiers have raised arms against their foreign officers. Moreover, there has been severe unease about the corruption that has been able to creep within the Afghan forces. There have been many occasions when they are found violating the law themselves.

On the other hand, the lack of latest equipment and extensive training has also been making Afghan troops incapable to coup with the situation. In fact the structure that has been giving birth to religious extremist has not been eradicated and it has been affecting different fields of live, including Afghan forces.

With the current rise and swelling wave of terrorism, it should not be neglected that Taliban have been able to grow largely in the recent few years. The transition period, instead of pointing towards progress and improvement, seems to be going the other way. In fact the overall process of transition does not seem to be working well.

This period does not have to be only a transfer of security responsibility from international forces to Afghan forces, rather it should be comprehensive enough to include within its folds the overall political and economic stability and better life opportunities for all the Afghan people.

The post transition period in Afghanistan has to be a period that can give poverty stricken Afghan people their basic requirements; provide them better representation and participation in political and social life; make them capable of governing themselves appropriately; assist them in forming strong ties with the regional powers and keeping the doors of economic and political supports from them open and maintaining strategic partnership with international community and above all with US. However, it does never imply that the national interests must be sacrificed in order to have better relations with regional powers or even with international community, because at the end it is Afghanistan that needs most of the care and devotion.

Dilawar Sherzai is the permanent writer of the Daily outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at dilawar.sherzai@gmail.com

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