Kabul (BNA) Addressing a press conference together with security officials here in Kabul on Saturday, National Security Adviser, Hamdullah Mohib said that internal disputes were growing among Taliban leaders for power purposes.
“I have a message to Taliban fighters. Your leaders using you. If you take control of any area, then you will be killed or imprisoned. So please put your guns and join normal life as other Afghans,” he said.
Pointing to legitimacy of war and stalled peace talks, NSA Mohib said that Taliban’s war has been condemned on regional and international levels, adding that the group’s bloodshed campaign was to take power as according to him the they have turned to collecting money from people, illegally exploiting minerals and exporting them to Pakistan as well as involved in extortions along the highways.
“They are collecting money from people; however, they are not providing services. They not only provide services to the people but destroy the public infrastructures,” he said, adding that Taliban are happy only to see devastation of the country.
Pointing to Taliban’s rejection of any possible transitional government, NSA Mohib said that Taliban are not capable to have military gains, however he said the group could target power pylons and other infrastructures as they have been doing now. NSA also said that Taliban’s attacks in seven provinces were repelled and ANDSF are fully ready to defend the territorial integrity.
NSA also said that internal disputes were growing among Taliban leaders for power.
Hinting at a question on status of foreign forces’ equipment after withdrawal, NSA Mohib went on saying that foreign forces to hand over military equipment worth one billion USD to Afghan forces, however he added US to shift some sensitive military equipment abroad. He also said that assistance to Afghanistan was not limited to US only, but there was international support to Afghan government in different spheres.
The NSA also said the Minister of Defense Asadullah Khalid to resume his works after Eid al-Fitr.
Meanwhile, acting Defense Minister Gen. Yasin Zia said that war intensified in the country, adding that Taliban received 1000 death and injuries in recent days, including killing of their leaders. He also said a key Taliban commander that were coordinating the group ties with AL-Qaeda were killed yesterday.
“Fortunately, we retaken the lost outposts in recent days and the death bodies that were left on the battlefields showing that al-Qaeda were active with support of Pakistan in the country. Our forces are in aggressive form and no civilian harmed by Afghan forces,” he said, adding that the reason behind ANDSF casualties and slow operation was that Taliban using civilian houses and holy places, like mosque.
Pointing to enemies’ plan to target national projects, the acting defense minister said that Taliban are destroying everything that they see and operations underway to clear those areas that poses threats to the national projects, like power pylons and the water dams.
Meanwhile the NDS Chief said that a number of prisoners that were released by Taliban in recent days were mostly civilians, adding that they would verify if there were Afghan forces personnel among them.
He also rejected the recent reports on threatening of media
