KABUL (SW) – Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the president, has said the Taliban's recent attacks on security forces reflect their inclination towards continuation of war.
Reacting to the escalating Taliban attacks, the presidential spokesman said in a series of tweets that targeting of the security officers and civilians by the Taliban is a crime and should be condemned by the international community.
Siddiqi added that the high level of Taliban violence has disheartened people in regard to the peace.
Of late, escalating violence across the country has left a number of security forces, civilians and the Taliban killed. In a latest such incident, the Taliban seized four security checkpoints on the main Kunduz-Takhar highway by staging coordinated assaults.
This comes as the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation has called for ‘immediately’ starting the intra-Afghan negotiations.
In a series of tweets, Zalmay Khalilzad deplored the killing of Dr. Abdul Baqi Amin, a Kabul-based religious scholar. He said Abdul Baqi Amin’s death at the hands of ‘spoilers’ who seek to delay and derail Afghan peace is tragic. “We condemn this terrorist act and offer our condolences to his family, friends and the Afghan people who yearn for peace. The right tribute to Dr Amin is for all sides to reduce violence and immediately start intra-Afghan negotiations. There is no legitimate reason for delay”, he tweeted.
This is the second time in a week that the seasoned U.S. diplomat has called for swift launch of the intra-Afghan talks.
On Wednesday, the top US peace envoy called for swiftly commencing the proposed Afghan-owned and Afghan-led negotiations. “Today marks 101 years since Afghanistan re-claimed its independence. It is a day in which Afghans take pride and one that is rightly remembered and celebrated”, Zalmay said this in a series of tweets in connection with the Independence Day celebrations.
Earlier this week, The President’s office said that despite the near complete release of Taliban prisoners by the government, the insurgents have not released a number of security forces prisoners. Sediq Seddiqi, the presidential spokesman, called on the Taliban to release the captives of the security forces.
This comes as the Taliban claim to have released up to a thousand security forces, under the Doha peace agreement
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