US envoy warns 'distressingly high' violence in Afghanistan threatens peace talks

The US special envoy to Afghanistan has warned on October 19 that violence of “distressingly high” levels is threatening to deviate the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad’s remarks came as fighting has renewed in the southern Helmand province in Afghanistan, which is also a Taliban stronghold. However, just last week, the Taliban had agreed to cease attacks on the condition of the United States stopping its air raids in the same region. 

But, as per Associated Press report, the Taliban’s assurance was followed by a suicide car bombing on October 18 that killed at least 13 people and injured nearly 120 others in Afghanistan’s western Ghor province. Even though no side has claimed the responsibility of the attack, suspicion reportedly fell on the Taliban. In the aftermath of the bombing, US special envoy to Afghanistan took to Twitter and noted that violence has rocked the nation and its citizens for “far too long.”

“Violence has stalked Afghans for far too long. It has robbed far too many Afghans of their loved ones,” Khalilzad wrote on Twitter. “The tragedy in Ghor today is the most recent example.”

In a series of tweets in Persian, he added, “The belief that says violence must escalate to win concessions at the negotiating table is very risky. Such an approach can undermine the peace process and repeats past miscalculations by Afghan leaders.”

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Taliban issues statement on US strikes

While the extremist group did not immediately respond to Khalilzad’s remarks on Twitter, the Taliban issued a separate statement on October 18 over the US airstrikes targeting the Helmand province. The group reportedly warned that “all responsibility and consequences from continuation of such actions shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the American side.”

A spokesperson for Helmand’s provincial governor, Omer Zwak reportedly said on October 19 that there are still ongoing gun battles in some areas including Nad Ali and Nawa districts. He also added that the Afghan government-directed other limited strikes only to support its own forces trying to acquire the Taliban strongholds.

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Inputs/Image: AP