US Continues Strategy of Fomenting Instability in Region: Ex-Afghan President’s Adviser

TEHRAN (IQNA) – The US continues its strategy of fomenting instability in Afghanistan and the region, an adviser to Afghanistan’s former president said.

News ID: 3475154

Date: 06 July 2021 - 11:56

Washington began its scheme in Afghanistan by creating crises and proxy wars and brought Takfiri groups into Iraq and Syria, Mohammad Hashem Esmatollahi, who was an adviser to former Afghan president Hamed Karzai told IQNA.

“Today, there are concerns that they (Americans) will create chaos in the region again,” he added, referring to the recent developments in Afghanistan.

Fighting has raged between the Taliban and Afghan forces across several provinces of Afghanistan in recent months and the militant group claims to have seized more than 100 out of nearly 400 districts in the country.

The militant group’s advances come as foreign troops prepare to leave Afghanistan after two decades of war and occupation.

US President Joe Biden announced in April that all American troops would withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that Washington used as a pretext to invade and occupy the Asian country despite the fact that no Afghan national was involved in the attacks.

Esmatollahi said the US has not fulfilled any of its promises during the 20-year presence of American forces in Afghanistan.

Despite all the pledges Washington has made in Bonn, London, Tokyo and Kabul conferences about peace and stability in Afghanistan, there have been no achievements in this regard, he said.

Referring to the US peace talks with the Taliban, he said the agreements reached between the two sides have been largely secret and, given the ongoing war in Afghanistan, there are concerns about what is going to happen after the pullout of the US troops.

The former adviser also said there are worries about Turkey’s plans after Ankara’s offer to undertake ensuring security of Kabul Airport.

During the war in Syria and the crisis in Iraq, Turkey paved the way for Daesh members to enter and leave the two countries via airports and the same thing could happen in Kabul, he stated.

Asked whether the Taliban has changed compared to the past, he said there have been no fundamental changes seen in the group and it seeks to reach power via war as in the past.

He said the only change is that the Taliban has grown more complex.

Esmatollahi also said that the Taliban has little popularity among Afghans give the group’s past record, especially during the time it was in power in the country.

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