Afghan army chief postpones India visit as Taliban violence continues to intensify

Afghanistan army chief Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai has postponed his India visit that was initially scheduled for July 27-29 as fighting intensified with the Taliban, stated media reports. The visit was announced at the time the insurgent groups unleashed one of their worst attack on Afghanistan and has continued to gain ground. Ahmadzai was set to be in India from tomorrow and was expected to meet with senior political and military leadership including Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane. However, the Taliban violence has dramatically increased against civilians as the Afghan defence and security forces as foreign forces are withdrawing from the war-torn country.

Earlier, media reports had stated that the Afghan army chief’s India visit would have also witnessed a request for assistance as the Taliban continues to take control of several districts across the war-stricken nation. United States intelligence assessments have suggested that the Afghan government could fall to the insurgent group within months of US forces retreating which the American President Joe Biden has said that would be completed by August 31. While the Taliban continues to gain influence and has already acquired several key borders, Afghan officials have blamed Pakistan for harbouring and even assisting Taliban militants.

International community urged to condemn Taliban

On Sunday, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan called on the international community, human rights agencies, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to strongly condemn reprehensible violence and crimes committed by the Taliban within Afghanistan and its continued links to international terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda. The Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Sunday, “Taliban forces perpetrate in areas under their control unpardonable and prosecutable crimes, including illegal arrests, arbitral killings, torturing civilians, forced marriages, and violation of basic human rights, particularly women’s rights.”

It added, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the recent Human Rights Watch and other verified independent sources’ to document the Taliban’s violent crimes within the country. 

IMAGE: AP