Heads of Afghanistan’s security institutions on Wednesday rejected claims that the battles in Uruzgan and Ghazni provinces, and others, were an “ethnic war”, but said that regional countries and terrorists are trying to manipulate these battles in order for them to look like this.
Interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said regional intelligence agencies and insurgent groups are using everything at their disposal to cripple government forces.
Meanwhile defense minister Tariq Shah Bahrami said that battles are ongoing in at least ten provinces in the country and that the level of threats are beyond the capabilities of government.
On Wednesday, Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) summoned the heads of the security institutons for the second time in a week to brief lawmakers on the situation in the country, particularly on Ghazni and Uruzgan provinces.
Currently battles are underway in Ghazni, Uruzgan, Faryab, Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Badghis, Baghlan and some other areas, said Bahrami.
“To be honest, the level of threats is very high; the level of conspiracies against this country is also very high and the current facilities available to security and defense institutions is not enough to repel these threats,” said Bahrami.
Barmak also said that Afghanistan’s enemies are plotting “to bring us to our knees”.
“The enemies and supporters of enemies of the people of Afghanistan including the backers of terrorists have made their final plots to break our back,” said Barmak.
MPs blame poor war leadership
“When 200 to 300 young men are martyred in a single day and their children come out on the streets to beg and you (security chiefs) are even too weak to bring back their dead bodies, do you think you should stay on (in your positions)?” asked one MP Abdul Rahim.
“Government’s main plan and target is to defend district centers, if it is like that and government does not think that the defense of the people is its responsibility, then it should not sacrifice the people,” MP Abdul Qayoum Sajjadi said.
But security chiefs said they are doing everything to tackle the threats.
“So if you (MPs) revoke your votes of confidence, we respond positively and will accept that,” said Bahrami in response to the MPs’ criticism.
“We must work sincerely in this country; the minister of defense and myself remain busy on the telephone until 2am and 3am (daily); we call here and there to this and that commander and get updates on the situations, and the commanders shout for help,” said Barmak.
But one MP, Ayoubi, accused the ministers of not doing much except sign documents.
“These honorable ministers just give signatures from their offices; what is this, we swear upon God we do not understand what is going on, these people (security chifs) do not fear God,” added Ayoubi.
“Let’s not engage in these issues, disagreements between MPs inside the house is not good,” spearker of Wolesi Jirga Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said.
