Afghan nation’s welcome of peace talks with the Taliban does not mean the militants are representatives of people. It only means that Afghan people no more can stand seeing their dear ones being killed in one name or another. The people of Afghanistan have grown weary of the war, and no longer can tolerate the continuation of war under whatever names. Reaching peace, as being a basic human need, is a top priority for Afghans. However, it should not be costlier than the continuation of war.
The Taliban have intensified their attacks against Afghan forces after holding direct talks with Americans. As part of their violent campaign, the insurgents have launched a multi-pronged offensive on Ghazni city, capturing some parts of the strategic city. There is no accurate information about what is going on in the city because the Taliban have shut down all telephone networks, but by and large the reports coming out of the province are suggestive of destruction and deaths. Both sides claim inflicting heavy casualties on the other side. According to reports, the Taliban had been gearing up for the offensive since long ago, and the government was also aware of it, but government institutions unfortunately failed as usual to prevent the tragedy. They could not foil the Taliban attack, and prevent the spread of panic among civilians in the densely populated city.
The palpable reason behind the spike in Taliban attacks is that the Taliban intend to negotiate peace from a position of strength. By launching large-scale attacks and causing heavy casualties, the insurgents want to prove that they are stronger and capable of seizing provinces. However, the fall of northern Kunduz and western Farah provinces showed the rebels are not able to hold urban areas. If they cannot keep provincial capitals, why are they capturing them? The clear answer is to spread fear and panic among people. The Taliban brazenly attack urban areas without caring how many innocent civilians are killed or plagued as a result.
The Taliban should not forget that they will be ruling the same people if they win a victory. They should learn a listen from their past, and never show hostility towards people. The people might have been suppressed and weakened now, but they can defeat any side of the war, including the Taliban, if they are left with no option, but to exact revenge.
Large-scale attacks: What are the Taliban after?
