Taliban commanders and fighters in eastern Afghanistan speak not of peace but of toppling the Afghan government in Kabul, and they boast of a hard-fought “military victory” over American forces in the country.
MARAWARA, Afghanistan — In talks in Doha and in Kabul, the Taliban’s leaders have struck a conciliatory tone: Issues of human rights, democracy and power sharing are open for discussion, they said, and will be worked out during peace talks with the Afghan government.
It’s difficult to discern how widespread the views expressed by these Taliban fighters are in other parts of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, because access to those areas is severely restricted. Washington Post reporters traveled into the Taliban district in eastern Afghanistan with the permission of the militant group earlier this month. Taliban fighters escorted Post journalists in the district to interview civilians and visit a school and a clinic.
Along the side of the district’s main road — a dirt and rubble track running along a steep mountain — a cluster of Taliban fighters in mismatched fatigues gathered to pose with automatic weapons and white flags. They chanted “death to the American slaves,” referring to the Afghan government, and “death to Ashraf Ghani,” the Afghan president., the fighters said it is only a matter of time before they take full control of the country.
“It’s unacceptable to divide power,” he said, “and it’s not possible to have a divided Islamic government.” He said that if Taliban leadership in Qatar agrees to share power, he and his men will break from the movement and take up arms independently. Taliban leaders feared that beginning conversations about political compromise too early would risk more of the group’s 50,000 to 100,000 fighters breaking away and joining other militant organizations that pledge to continue violent resistance regardless of a peace deal, Watkins said.
Inside the small mud-brick clinic, four women, all in their 20s, waited for the doctor to arrive from a nearby government-held town. No doctor lives in Marawara district, so one travels into Taliban-controlled territory for a few hours a day to see patients. For months, the clinic has been unable to find a surgeon to do the same.
Children sit on a thin plastic mat in the open air and attend class in Marawara. There is no school building, so classes take place under the shade of a tree.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Future Of Grocery StoresWhat is the future grocery store, and will we even need grocery stores in the future?
Read more »
Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith’s Raw ‘Red Table Talk’ Episode Tops 15 Million Facebook Views in First 24 HoursUPDATED: The emotional tete-a-tete between Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith on Facebook Watch’s “Red Table Talk” drew a huge audience in its first 24 hours of release, although i…
Read more »
Americans need more guidance from the FedJerome Powell has emphasised that more fiscal stimulus is needed. But he seems in no rush to try unconventional policy tools
Read more »
Dua Lipa Takes Off on a Long, Strange Dancefloor Trip in 'Hallucinate' VideoLisha Tan directed animated clip for pop star’s latest Future Nostalgia single
Read more »
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Talks Future of NASCAR & New Peacock Show Lost Speedways - E! OnlineThe racing legend says the 'future looks really bright' for NASCAR following recent events
Read more »