24 April (The Killid Group) — The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had called on the Taliban to lay down arms for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that began on Friday [April 24], but the group dismissed the demand, calling it irrational.
Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the office of the insurgents in Qatar said in a tweet on Thursday that calling for a truce is not “rational and convincing” at a time that lives of thousands of [Taliban] inmates are in danger due to coronavirus pandemic, and when “hurdles” were made to the peace process and to the full implementation of the peace pact signed between the U.S. and the group.
A number of Afghan political analysts, however, expressed concerns over continued Taliban violence during the holy month of Ramadan, saying it shatters the Afghan people dream of peace.
Abdul Farid Sailani, a political analyst, told The Killid Group reporter that although the Afghan government has shown flexibility by releasing a number of Taliban inmates; however, the group has no plans or programs for peace in Afghanistan.
According to him, the insurgent group is not committed to the peace process in Afghanistan as they are ramping up attacks and dismissing the Afghan government’s demands for a ceasefire across the country.
On the other hand, Sayed Nasir Mosawi, another political commentator, said that the current political deadlock and intra-government disputes threaten to derail the entire Afghan peace process.
It seems unlikely that the Taliban would accept the Afghan government’s demand for a truce and reduction in violence unless the Afghan leaders build confidence [between themselves] and break the political deadlock, he continued.
The Taliban has been ramping up violence across the country despite a peace accord signed between the United States and the armed group—as only in the last week, dozens of Afghan forces have been killed by the Taliban assaults.
Follow TKG on Twitter & Facebook
