KABUL (SW) – A number of leading foreign diplomatic missions in Kabul on Monday called for an ‘urgent end’ to the Taliban offensives in Afghanistan.
In a joint statement, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the EU Delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, the Office of the Nato Senior Civilian Representative, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States has made the call while labelling the insurgents’ attacks as thwarting prospects for a political solution.
“The Taliban’s offensive in in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict and to the Doha peace process”, said the joint statement, adding
These diplomatic missions who remained supportive of the Afghan government since the fall of the Taliban regime in the late 2001 also expressed concerns over that reports of the insurgents repressing the human rights of women and girls and to shut media organizations in the districts they have overran since May when the US President Joe Biden announced the exit strategy.
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“We join the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in calling on the Taliban and all the parties to immediately end the violence, agree to a permament and comprehensive ceasefire and engage fully in peace negotiations to end the suffering of the Afghan people and to pave the way for an inclusive political settlement that benefits all Afghans and ensures that Afghanistan does not again serve as safe haven for terrorists”, said the statement.
The diplomatic missions also condemned the ongoing targeted killings in the war-ravaged country, destruction of vital infrastructure and threats to the gain of the past two decades.
The latest round of intra-Afgan negotiations failed to deliver a breakthrough with the Afghan government and the the Taliban on Sunday vowing via a joint statement to continue and expedite high level peace talks in Doha, Qatar.
The joint statement issued after two days of talks late on Sunday said the two sides also vowed to safeguard civilian lives, infrastructure and services delivery works in the war-ravaged country.
ENDS
