A group of suicide bombers stormed a compound on Sunday in Kabul, which belonged to the Green Trend, a political party led by Amrullah Saleh, a former spymaster and President Ghani’s first running mate in the September 28 election. According to the figures released by security officials, the complex attack which lasted for six hours left behind 25 people dead, including 16 civilians, and over 50 others wounded. Amrullah Saleh escaped unscathed. The initial powerful blast which was caused by a suicide bomber riding in a car packed with explosives has reduced civilian houses to rubble since it was a residential area. Although no group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, fingers are at the Taliban because of Saleh’s anti-Taliban and Pakistani stance. The attack comes as the United States and Taliban are reportedly preparing to sign a peace deal in the near future or according to some unconfirmed reports, this week. Despite the significant progress in peace talks, continued violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan is on no account justifiable. The objective of peace talks is to end the bloodshed, but if they lead to escalation than reduction of violence, it is better to suspend them.
All warring sides must realize that Afghan conflict cannot be resolved through military pressure and escalation of violence. Had it been the case, Afghans would have seen an end to the destructive war years ago. Given the progress in ongoing peace negotiations, now is not the time for all sides to try to protect their interests and gain an upper hand at the negotiating table through exertion of military pressures. The easiest, most logical and bloodshed-free option for all sides is to bargain for their interests at the negotiating table, and stop the war game aimed at getting more concessions from each other at the cost of Afghan blood.
If any political side wants to assume the country’s leadership in the future, it should learn respect for the lives of Afghan people before anything else. Afghans cannot tolerate their killers to be their leaders for lifetime. One day, Afghan nation will rise up against the killers, no matter what name and cover they have, and not only will dislodge them but will also hold them accountable for all what they have done to the people.
