May 10, 2021

War mongering: a path to doomsday in Afghanistan

topic:	Human Rights
located:	Afghanistan
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

In response to the departure plans of the foreign troops from Afghanistan, the warmongering by various factions with a history of militancy - both from within the government and the armed Taliban insurgents - seem heavily inclined towards failing the nascent state yet again.

Firstly, the Taliban continues to portray itself as a war machine under command of armed men who are bent upon capturing power by use of force regardless of the collateral damage or subsequent impacts on the country in the long run. Claiming to be a group of holy men striving for justice, the Taliban has so far shown no inclination towards ceasing hostilities for the sake of a peaceful political settlement.

On the opposite side, factions of Afghan politicians who have been enjoying the lion's share in government since the ousting of the Taliban two decades ago have begun flashing guns and heating up the political arena with aggressive rhetoric of war. They, too, seem more interested in keeping the flames of war fanning instead of embracing peace and coexistence.

Yet, both groups assert to be struggling for the so-called 'national cause'. How can they justify their parallel armies comprising of unruly gunmen in the face of an existing national defense and security forces? What is clearly evident is that these groups and factions have held their constituencies hostage by force and have been jockeying for power undermining the entire state building process.

over past two weeks alone, more than 60 young students were lost in the capital Kabul and eastern Logar province to this brazen politics of war. Firstly, the Taliban rammed a car packed with explosives into a students hostel in Logar on Friday, 1 May, killing young students who were busy preparing for the university entrance examinations. Then, on 8 May, another identical tragedy claimed the lives of at least 55 people in the capital Kabul, the majority of whom were female students who were leaving for home in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan after a long day at school. 

These are stark crimes against the whole of humanity, not a regular collateral damage of the raging war. Such tragedies often remain unclaimed by the parties involved in this ugly and senseless war; but, of course, they remain responsible for each and every life lost amid the continued resistance to people's call for immediate ceasefire.

All factions, groups and the Taliban are long overdue to shun the politics of war at this crucial juncture and take the exit of foreign troops as an opportunity for reaching a consensus among them to build and heal the devastated state of Afghanistan.

Image: india narrtive. 

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