President Hamid Karzai Tuesday condemned the assassination of Taliban commander Mullah Abduil Raqib, calling him a victim of peace. He went on to invite Raqib’s group Tehreek-Islami Taliban to return to Afghanistan.
Mullah Abdul Raqiq was gun downed in the Pakistani city of Peshawar by unidentified attackers on Monday. On Tuesday, a military helicopter transferred his body to his native town in northern Takhar province.
This is not the first time a Taliban leader has been targeted in Pakistan. The U.S. has waged an intensive drone war on Taliban commanders throughout Pakistan in recent years. Karzai has been highly critical of the attacks on Taliban leaders, claiming the U.S.’ aggression has pushed Taliban leaders away from negotiations.
“We saw several green lights from those willing to start the peace negotiation process, but most of them were assassinated,” Karzai’s deputy spokesman Fayeq Wahidi said. “The killing of Maullah Raqiq is part of the coordinated murders.”
Sabotaging peace negotiations is considered the main motivation behind the assassinations, though no evidence has been brought forward to prove that.
Participants in the burial ceremony accused the Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) of being behind the assassination.
“People shared their sorrows in the burial ceremony. He was working for peace. People chanted slogans against those killing him; they blamed ISI for the killing,” Takhar Governor Abdul Latif Ibrahimi said.
As Karzai’s last term in office comes to a close, he has pushed an increasingly friendly approach to the Taliban, much to the chagrin of U.S. and its NATO allies. Last week, Kabul announced the release of 65 suspected militants from Bagram prison and just two weeks ago news of secret talks between Karzai and Taliban leaders broke.
A delegation of the High Peace Council (HPC) is said to be currently in the United Arab Emirates meeting with representatives of the Taliban.
Tolonews
Tags: Body Returned to Takhar, Karzai Condemns Killing of Taliban Leader
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