Tables turn in the Afghan war as US-Afghanistan joint airstrikes kill 120 Taliban terrorists

Kabul/Moscow: A total of 120 Taliban terrorists were killed in the US -Afghanistan joint airstrikes. The dead reportedly includes the Taliban commander Maulvi Nooruddin although the Taliban has denied the claim. Also, the effects of the crushing action the US initiated following the cancellation of the talks, are becoming apparent. The Taliban delegation has arrived in Russia for talks. On the other hand, the terrorist organisation has hinted at being keen to commence a new dialogue with the United States and has even withdrawn the ban on Red Cross on Sunday for the purpose.

The US President, Donald Trump once again reiterated his warning to the Taliban. He said, “The Taliban had made a big mistake by carrying out terror attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul and would have to face the dire consequences for their actions”. The Taliban had bragged that the US would suffer more due to the cancellation of talks but is now coming to terms with reality. Also, the US President informed that an unprecedented forceful action had been initiated against the Taliban. At the same time, the Afghanistan government has now become increasingly aggressive towards the Taliban. The US and Afghan forces have launched attacks in a joint operation in the northern and western parts of Afghanistan, killing 120 Taliban terrorists.

Maulavi Nooruddin, who was proclaimed the governor of Samangan province, is also said to have died in the attacks but the Taliban has denied the claim on Nooruddin calling it false. Even so, the significant damages suffered by the Taliban in the intensified US-Afghan action in the last few days are evident, and hints of it mounting massive pressure on the terror outfit are visible. On the sidelines of the developments, the Taliban rescinded the previously installed ban on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). With the move, the Taliban is trying to portray to the United States and the world that it is not against humanitarian activities.

The Taliban delegation has arrived in Russia, and the Russian President’s special representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov welcomed the delegation. Kabulov said that Russia at the time adopted the stand for resuming talks between the Taliban and the United States. The Taliban has also indicated that it was ready to reinitiate negotiations with the United States.

The Afghan Diplomats warned that if the Taliban wanted talks with the Afghan government, it would have first to honour the limitations the new Afghanistan had set. “The assigned name for the nation, the ‘Peoples Republic of Afghanistan’, the civil and political rights of women, and the participation of the people in the political process are incredibly crucial to the Afghan government. Unless the Taliban is willing to honour it, the Afghan government will also not hold any talks with the Taliban,” the diplomats have warned.

Earlier, the Taliban had taken an adamant stand on the peace negotiations saying that it was not willing to talk to the Afghan government but would only do so with the United States. Although now the tables have turned in Afghanistan after the US scrapped talks and is visible in the Afghan government’s changed rhetoric.

English मराठी

Click below to express your thoughts and views on this news: