(THE KABUL TIMES): President Ghani on Monday vowed to “eliminate” all safe havens of the Islamic State group as the country marked the 100th Independence Day after a horrific wedding attack claimed by the local IS affiliate.
President Ghani addressing the nation at Darul Aman Palace woefully expressed that, “Enemy of our freedom and independence, enemy of our people and country, cannot see this celebration and happiness. This enemy can’t face our powerful armed forces.”
President Ghani’s comments came as Afghanistan mourns at least 63 people, including children, martyred in the Kabul bombing at a wedding hall late Saturday night. Close to 200 others were wounded.
The U.S. envoy in talks with the Taliban, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Sunday said the peace process should be accelerated to help Afghanistan defeat the IS affiliate. That would include intra-Afghan talks on the country’s future, a fraught process that could take years.
But the president argued that the Taliban can’t avoid the responsibility by denying being behind this attack. He said that, Taliban laid the foundation for such attacks and carried out numerous such barbaric attacks on mosques, schools and public places.
Nothing has impressed Afghan society as much as insecurity and terrorism. The country was turned into a battle ground by superpowers to show their dominance in the region. Later the civil war targeted the country and made the poor people suffer because of its ugly outcomes. Soon after that Taliban gained power and made the society further suffer backwardness and religious extremism. Both these factors blocked all the ways towards peace and stability. However, since the downfall of Taliban, there have been expectations that the country would move towards a certain level of stability, but Taliban have paved the way for other terrorists and Afghans dream of a peaceful Afghanistan still not achieved.
Even today, the country is largely affected by religious extremism and terrorism. It does not only target the innocent people who suffer because of lack of opportunities for a secure life but also challenge the entire security apparatus within the country.
The president on his Independence Day address to the nation called upon the international community that should not remain silent over such inhuman acts, but efforts should be intensified to uproot terror. “Our fight is with enemies of humanity. World should know that Afghans not only fighting for their independence, but also fighting for survival of the humanity,” the president said.
To curb the menace of terrorism, using all means of pressures against terrorist supporting countries, can help root out the terrorism and establish a safe and secure atmosphere benefiting all countries.
Ensuring the integrity and stability of the region provides a comprehensive development ground for the interests of all regional countries, while war and conflicts will threaten the interests all nations. Those searching their interests in supporting terror would one day gain its unexpected results, which would be for sure destruction and killing of their own citizens.