Afghanistan Times
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Daesh has become a deadly terrorist organization in Afghanistan despite the recently launched military operations in eastern Nangarhar province. The security forces have inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorist group but the command and control center of the group is still intact. The United States is also targeting Daesh fighters in Afghanistan but the victory is still a pipe dream. Daesh—known as the Islamic State in Europe and the US—is a global terrorist organization with global designs as proved by recent attacks in France, Belgium, Germany and the United States. The Islamic State has been seen as a serious threat by Iran, China, Russia and Central Asian Republics.
However, the regional countries are not too serious about eliminating the group. If they were serious then they would have certainly provided the required military and financial assistance to Afghanistan. Rift among the regional countries and differences over joint anti-Daesh mechanism has emboldened the terrorist group. There is no denying that the Afghan government is feeling abandoned in the war against Daesh. Afghan security forces have rendered sacrifices to eliminate the group but it cannot reach the goal unless there was popular regional support. As a matter of fact, the regional countries are feeling safe and secure at this time because Afghanistan is at the frontline trying to control the group. But, miscalculations of the neighboring countries could prove catastrophic for the region.
Saturday’s suicide blast in Kabul, targeting protestors, should serve as a wakeup call for the policymakers of the regional countries. Daesh has killed 80 and injured 231 innocent Afghans. Leaders of the neighboring countries poured only condemnation statements. At a time when the Afghan government is fighting for the regional stability against Daesh, condemnation statements are of no use for Kabul. Leaders of the regional countries should break the status quo by coming together at one platform to eliminate the deadly Daesh; otherwise, they would see violence at their doors claiming lives of innocent civilians there.
Governments in the region should support Afghanistan as the country is mourning today over the loss of its innocent citizens. Kabul cannot lead the war on terror to its ultimate goal on its own, especially when resources are meager and support of the neighboring countries is only on papers. Afghans are giving sacrifices for stability of the nations in the region, so people in the neighboring countries could live without fear. It is time to compensate Afghans for their matchless sacrifices by supporting Kabul in the war against Islamic State. Establishment of a joint anti-terrorism mechanism is need of the hour. If the regional countries failed to keep their differences aside then nothing could stop Daesh from targeting civilians and security forces of neighboring countries.
