KABUL: Most of the Afghan analysts and government officials are of the viewthat weak management, foreign interference and the Taliban’s show of powerare the main causes of the recent attacks on Farah City.

The Taliban fighters stormed this western city five days ago and were ableto reach the heart of the city following intense fighting with securityforces, killing more than 50 Afghan troops.

Majority of the analysts and government officials believe that Iran wasinvolved in the attack and wanted to hurdle massive projects, especiallyconstruction of dams. The others, however, opined that with the attack onFarah, Taliban conveyed the message that they could not be destabilizedrather strengthened than ever before contrary to Afghan government andtheir foreign allies claims that the Taliban were defeated at war front andtheir power of conducted coordinated attacks was eliminated.

“The reaching of Taliban to the heart of Farah city in the presence offoreign forces means that security institutions and government managementis zero and has no ability to control any area,” said Balqis Roshan, memberof parliament.

She told Afghan media outlet that foreign interference, especially Iran’s,were the causes that have kept the war in Farah warm.

According to the lawmaker, the intelligence agencies had informationseveral days before the attack that several groups of gunmen had crossedinto Afghanistan from Iran but no one stopped them or raised voice againstit.

She continued that though the Afghan government daily claim of expandingtheir writ but actually they losses more areas each day.

Dr. Ramzan Bashar Dost, another lawmaker, also see weak management as themajor case of war in Farah city. “It might be right that the attack inFarah was a show of power by Taliban or they had Iran’s support, but on theother hand, what was the reaction of our government,” he told AIP.

He alleged that appointments in the security institutions are still made onthe basis of nepotism and this was the reason that Taliban reached to Farahcity.

General Attiqullah Amarkhil, a Kabul based military analyst, however, saidthe attack on Farah city meant to show that Taliban have not yet beenweakened and they conveyed the same message to Afghan government and theinternational community with the capturing of different parts of the city.

He said NATO forces commander in Afghanistan General John Nicolson hadclaimed a week ago that they defeated the Taliban and increased pressure onthem to destabilize and bring them to peace talks.

He said the Farah attack showed that the Taliban have not been weakened inthe war, adding “The Taliban have not been weakened rather bagged moreresources and equipment for several months of war after capturing someparts of Farah city.”

Defense Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami while visiting Farah city Saturday (May19) said that not only two neighbours but several other regional countrieswere behind the Farah attack.

Though he did not disclose the names of the regional countries he referredto, some Afghan officials had also accused Russia of supporting Taliban,besides Iran.

Bahrami said that the construction of dams in the province have createdconcern for some people who resorted to fueling insecurity, adding the warin Farah occurred due water control by Afghanistan. Taliban spokesmanZabihullah Mujahid, meanwhile, said the war in Farah was not for waterrather for freedom of the country. Posting images of NATO commanderattending meeting with Afghan officials and US flag in Farah on his twitterpage, the Taliban spokesman said, “The war is not for water but due to thisflag and person. Our soil, air and water have been held hostage byAmericans.”

Yousaf Amin Zazi, a political analyst in Kabul, said the situation mightnot had reached to attack on Farah city, had there existed coordinationamong the government officials in central government and appointment onmerit. Instead of maintain security, the civil and security officials arebusy in protecting their personal interests and looting the nationalexchequer, he said.