Washington. May 4. INTERFAX-President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani on the background of the beginning of the withdrawal of US troops from the country said that it is necessary in the current circumstances to fully finance the National Security and Defense Forces of the Republic (ANDSF).
"It is extremely important that the US and NATO fulfill their existing commitments to fund the ANDSF. Perhaps this is the single most important contribution that the international community can make to a successful transition to peace in Afghanistan, " the president said in an article published by Foreign Affairs magazine.
He continued that another area of concern in the context of the withdrawal of American and other foreign forces remains the transfer of authority to command and control the security forces in order not to deprive them of leadership at the most crucial moment.
Ghani described the American withdrawal as a "turning point" for Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, with the Afghan government " respecting this decision." However, the president warned that the withdrawal of US forces was "a moment of opportunity and risk" for the people of Afghanistan, the Taliban (banned in Russia) and the region as a whole.
At the same time, the president assured of his readiness to continue negotiations with the Taliban. At the same time, Ghani recalled the strengthening of the ANDSF's combat readiness and its ability to defend the country in recent years.
The President noted that due to the withdrawal of the US contingent, the Taliban and "their patrons in Pakistan" faced the question of how to proceed. According to Ghani, " it is not too late for Pakistan to act as a partner and stakeholder in an orderly peace process."
He also expressed concern that the Taliban may draw the wrong conclusion from the current events, considering them their victory over NATO and the United States, and continue the armed struggle without showing any interest in a political agreement with Kabul.
Meanwhile, it became known that the fighters of the armed forces of Afghanistan on Tuesday are engaged in intense fighting against the Taliban in the southern province of Helmand. The Taliban on Monday launched an offensive near the administrative center of Helmand-the city of Lashkar Gah.
Reports of these clashes come against the backdrop of the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, which began last week. The Pentagon said on Monday that there were no serious attacks on the alliance's military over the weekend. It is assumed that the NATO contingent will leave Afghanistan before September 11, 2021.
At the same time, observers note that the Taliban will probably have a chance to return to power one way or another. It is believed that they are able to do this peacefully by concluding a political agreement with Kabul. The second option is for the Taliban to seize power by force. Many Western media outlets have noted that in recent months and even years, the Taliban have extended de facto control over more and more territories in Afghanistan. It is believed that the Taliban still pose a serious military threat to the current Afghan authorities.
