UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Security Council condemnedAfghanistan s Taliban on Monday for announcing a spring offensive andcalled on all parties to instead seize the opportunity to begin talks.
In a unanimous statement, the council said the Taliban s announcement will”only result in more unnecessary suffering and destruction for the Afghanpeople.”
The Taliban launched attacks near the northern city of Kunduz and in Kabulon Saturday, hours after announcing the start of the spring offensive.
At least nine people were killed and scores wounded in those attacks,according to Afghan officials.
The bloodshed came as the US pushes for a peace settlement with theTaliban, and ahead of a new round of talks expected to take place in Qatarlater this month.
The Security Council “called on all parties to the conflict to seize theopportunity to begin an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiationsthat result in a political settlement,” said the statement.
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US officials have already met several times with the Taliban and furthertalks are expected in the Qatari capital Doha later this month that wouldinclude Afghan political leaders.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the US diplomat who has held several rounds of talks withthe Taliban in hopes of reaching a peace deal, called the announcement ofthe spring offensive “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
To facilitate travel to Doha, the council has lifted travel bans for 11Taliban delegates, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a cofounder of theIslamist movement and its top political leader, as well as Sher MohammadAbbas Stanikzai, the Taliban s former deputy minister of foreign affairs.-APP/AFP
