Since decades Afghanistan has been caught in the web of wars, terror attacks and ethnic clashes. Peace and normality remained a mirage in that hapless nation. Innumerable assassinations and terror strikes remain the order of the day. After the withdrawal of the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1989, Taliban regained control of Afghanistan leading to an array of mind-chilling killing and destruction of historical monuments which were not only the pride of Afghanistan but the entire world. Taliban’s dogmatic approach adhering to Shariat laws, forced people tremble with shock and fear, women forced to be indoors always denying them education and employment. Shariat laws adopted punishments reminding one of medeival times like beheading, hanging in public, stoning to death that also in public amputations, whip lashing etc sending shock waves down the spines of the common citizens. Taliban rule of Afghanistan will remain a blot in the history of that tragic nation.
Taliban rule came to an end in the backdrop of 9/11 – the suicide bombings of the twin towers of World Trade Centre in US which resulted in the outrage of US govt and citizens that led to a declaration of war on Afghanistan. US suspected the hands of Al-Quaida elements under the leadership of Osama Bin Laden who was provided asylum on the outskirts of Afghanistan by Taliban. America was determined to wreak vengeance on the Al-Quaida elements and in 2001 the very year WTC was reduced to rubble on Afghanistan. The ferocious attacks killed lakhs and lakhs of people. Taliban elements and civilian including properties worth crores destroyed and even after continuous wars under George Walker Bush and Barack Obama lasting more than ten years, the destructive forces couldn’t be destroyed. Resistance fed them with power and strength true, ‘the Taliban government’ brought down true, which was replaced by Hamid Karzai who has not yet been able to contain mounting violence, the suicide bombings and assassinations continued unabated. Even Kandahar Governor and Hamid Karzai’s half-brother Ahmed Vali Karzai fell victim to suicide bombings by Taliban elements which was a hard blow to Mr.Karzai.
After locating Osama Bin Laden at Abottabad in Pakistan and killing him on the spot in the wee hours of night and dumping his body in an ocean US lost interest in continuing the fight and mulled withdrawing its forces from the war scene. Due to the unprecedented economic slow down and because of the Presidential election scheduled to be held in 2012 in which Barack Obama is the Democratic party candidate US thought in terms of withdrawing its forces. Likewise other Western nations one by one due to internal pressures started withdrawing from the scene.
US Government took initiative in Afghan govt holding peace talks with the so-called ‘Soft-Taliban’ thus driving a wedge between hard and soft Talibans. In the meanwhile Hamid Karzai too took initiative in holding talks with soft elements of Taliban for which the former President of Afghanistan Burhamudheen Rabbani appeared on the scene.
Meanwhile with multinational International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) making arrangements for massive withdrawal Taliban elements intensified their attacks on various targets especially their hated enemy Americans. On Sep 13 US embassy was targeted by suicide bombers killed a few and destroyed a part of the embassy.
Later on Sep 19, two self-proclaimed Taliban envoys with one hiding a bomb inside his turban gained access to Burhamuddeen Rabbani and in the guise of holding peace talks exploded killing him on the spot. With Rabbani the head of HPC (High Peace Council) downed a prime link between the govt and Taliban got snapped.
Now with the impending withdrawal of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) the accursed country is in for a civil war which could bring about unforeseen consequences. The suspected culprits behind Rabbani’s assassination the Pakistan based Jalaludheen Haqqani network with the prodding of ISI (Inter Service Intelligence), the Pak spy agency are bent upon wreaking maximum havoc in the neighbouring country. The helpless hapless citizens of the accursed country are the worst sufferers in the dams to come. What about Hamid Karzai’s future in a turbulent atmosphere? Beyond imagination
No comments:
Post a Comment