Kabul, Sep 20: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani vowed on Friday to introduce steps to secure civilian casualties in the pertaining war against the insurgent group, the Taliban, in the nation, Reuters reported.
The statement came a day after the US claimed the responsibility of a drone attack on Thursday in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, that claimed the lives of at least 30 civilians.
He made these promises while addressing his presidential election rally in Jalalabad – the capital of Nangarhar suburb. The presidential elections are slated to begin on September 28 across war-torn Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, the Taliban chief negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said their “doors are open” if United States President Donald Trump seeks to relaunch peace talks – aimed at putting an end to the 18-year-long war and crisis in Afghanistan, in near future.
Stanikzai’s statement came after a week when Trump declared the Afghan Peace Process was “dead”. Earlier this month, both the sides had seemed close to an agreement to end the Afghan civil war.
During an exclusive interview with BBC, he said US-Taliban negotiations remained “the only way for peace in Afghanistan”. The negotiator told BBC a ceasefire between foreign troops and the Taliban would have been reached and come into effect after the deal was inked. However, no such truce would have existed between the Afghan forces and the Taliban.
He added intra-Afghan negotiations would have kicked-off on Sep 23 and had an arrangement reached, and would have also included talks over wider ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Afghan national security advisor Dr. Hamdullah Mohibt told the BBC the Taliban “intimidation tactics” won’t succeed, adding, “The only way they can see peace in Afghanistan is by negotiating with the Afghan government.”
Also read: Taliban willing to resume Afghan peace-talk with US : Chief Negotiator Stanikzai