After months of political wrangling and animosity between the two sides, Afghanistan is finally ready to hold intra-Afghan peace talks aimed at ending two decades of war. The latest hurdle regarding the release of Taliban prisoners has been removed and talks are expected to be held within days.
Afghanistan convened a grand assembly of elders, called Loya Jirga, to decide whether the last 400 hardcore Taliban prisoners involved in major terror attacks should be released. The Afghan government will now hold talks with the Taliban in Doha. It has been five months since the prisoner swap was considered a pre-condition for talks and now another step is being taken for peace in the war-torn nation.
The deliberation over the release of the last batch of Taliban prisoners triggered outrage for the families of those killed by the militant group. The meeting of the Afghan council was considered crucial for the prisoner’s release despite the setbacks to keep the peace process moving. The process was supposed to end in March but was delayed for five months due to disagreements.
The families of victims were asked to seek forgiveness ahead of the talks as hope for peace comes at a price. More than 100,000 Afghan civilians have lost their lives in the past decade including 10,000 last year. Pakistan has welcomed the move for releasing the prisoners as it has huge stakes in the Afghan peace process and has played a vital role.
The Afghan government is under pressure to move ahead with the peace process as the United States nears towards a presidential election on 3rd November. President Trump has vowed to reduce troops to less than 5,000 before November and wants to push earlier to gain political advantage.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wants Taliban to impose a ceasefire and shun violence before the talks but it unlikely if this will happen. What is certain that for the first time, both sides will sit down together and work out the course for the future of the country.
It is heartening that peace in Afghanistan is gradually moving forward. It is painful process for Afghan civilians to move ahead after a bitter war. It is also unusual for the Afghan government and Taliban to negotiate after years of mistrust. These sacrifices are necessary for lasting peace in the country.
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