Government troops backed by international forces could not drive the Taliban out of the strategic Ghazni city on the third day after it was fallen to the rebels. The Taliban still control many areas of the city and have begun, according to some unconfirmed reports, a house-to-house search in some areas to find government employees. The Taliban have also reportedly destroyed a lot of government buildings and vehicles they have seized from government troops. This comes as thousands of foreign troops still operate in Afghanistan besides Afghan forces. Both have failed to secure only a city, so it is very unrealistic to expect them to provide security in rural areas.
The continuation of fighting in Ghazni for several days is more characteristic of the incompetence and neglect of Afghan forces and its foreign backers than of the Taliban’s combat strength. The leadership problem in Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and indecisiveness of foreign troops have allowed a militant group like the Taliban that have fewer resources compared to Afghan forces to take control of much of a provincial capital and then hold it for several days. If the presence of foreign troops and military bases cannot guarantee the security of cities, which is the only reason why they are here, then there is no justification to have them in the country.
Afghanistan’s alliance with the West and the United States has put the country on a razor edge. Neither its western allies truly support the country to win a military victory against the militants nor can it show the initiative itself to force its allies to accept the political settlement of Afghan conflict on its terms. The Afghan government caught between a rock and a hard place has to take some decisive actions. It must clear things up with the West, and point out that if its military presence cannot bring stability to Afghanistan, at least it should cease to serve as a major reason for the Taliban to continue their fight. The Afghan people accepted US military presence contrary to their nature of not being accepting of invaders, the main reason was to become safe from the evil of proxy forces. However, if it cannot serve that goal, then the western military presence must end, thereby stripping the Taliban of using it as the main pretext for the protraction of conflict, while also eliminating a factor for the hostility of neighboring countries towards Afghanistan.
The battle for Ghazni: What is the responsibility of foreign troops?
