KABUL // Militants will respond with a surge of their own if more Nato and US troops are deployed to Afghanistan, according to a senior member of the former Taliban government.
Thousands of additional soldiers are due to arrive here next year amid growing concerns at a deteriorating security situation that has seen the level of violence reach new heights.
Mullah Wakil Ahmad Mutawakil, foreign minister in the former regime, warned that the boost in numbers could cripple any steps towards reaching a political settlement with the rebels.
"If the Americans send more soldiers to Afghanistan this will not solve the problems. Look, Iraq is getting better and now there is just one battleground. So if the Americans send more troops, then more people will come from other countries to fight them as well," he said in an interview with The National.
Mr Mutawakil first served as a spokesman for Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban leader, before becoming his foreign minister.
Four months after the US-led invasion he turned himself in and spent almost two years in US custody. He is now kept under close watch at his home in Kabul and, despite obvious sympathies, has no official links to the insurgency.
"There was not another way for the people who are fighting," he said. "If there was a peaceful way, they would have chosen it."
Faint hopes of an end to the war were set in motion by a meeting in Saudi Arabia last month between representatives of the Afghan government and associates of the Taliban and a breakaway faction of Hizb-e-Islami, two of the main rebel groups.
Mr Mutawakil was among those present, but he categorically denied that any negotiations had taken place. While calling the gathering a "positive" move, he warned there were huge obstacles to overcome if peace was ever to be achieved.
Prince Saud al Faisl of Saudi Arabia confirmed on Tuesday the country had hosted a meeting between the Afghans and Taliban.
Civilian casualties and widespread corruption had caused many people to join the insurgency, Mr Mutawakil claimed. The Taliban and al Qa'eda had also formed a stronger alliance, so the world must make a greater effort to split them and acknowledge their differences.
"It is not possible to kill all the Taliban who are in the community. They have to negotiate with them because they are also part of Afghanistan," he said.
At a recent press conference, Afghanistan's minister of defence described this year's fighting as the "worst" since 2001. Gen Abdul Rahim Wardak blamed some of the violence on a growing number of foreign militants who are "better equipped than before" and had come here because of the improving situation in Iraq.
Mr Mutawakil said al Qa'eda had gone from being guests under the old Taliban regime to being regarded as partners on the battlefield. He said any peace deal must be brokered by Afghans only, with foreign supporters of the insurgency and the government excluded from the final process.
For the short and medium-term at least, an end to the bloodshed seems highly improbable and security is likely to get significantly worse.
At least 17 civilians were reported killed during an air strike in the southern province of Helmand last week, and on Monday the Taliban claimed responsibility for killing a British aid worker in Kabul.
There have been public acknowledgements from sections of the international community that peace talks will have to take place eventually, but force rather than diplomacy is the method of choice in the meantime.
The US commander of the Nato-led alliance here has asked for an increase of 15,000 troops and Barack Obama, the front-runner in the US presidential race, has pledged to go much of the way towards meeting that demand.
Both he and John McCain, his rival, still talk about defeating the Taliban.
As far as Mr Mutawakil is concerned, that is a recipe for a disaster. "This is why the Taliban think a game is being played, and they do not believe the government," he said.
"From one side, they are being told the Afghan government wants peace. From another side, the international countries are sending more soldiers and the government says 'welcome'."
csands@thenational.ae
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
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RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
RESULTS
6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.
8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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THE BIO
Age: 30
Favourite book: The Power of Habit
Favourite quote: "The world is full of good people, if you cannot find one, be one"
Favourite exercise: The snatch
Favourite colour: Blue
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%C2%A0profile
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AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
BIG SPENDERS
Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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