Khostis ask Iran, Russia not to harm Afghan peace bid

Participants of a gathering in Khost City, the capital of southeastern Khost province, on Thursday asked neighboring countries, particularly Russia and Iran, not to create hurdles for the ongoing peace process.

They demanded of neighboring countries to seek legal ways to ensure their interests in Afghanistan were protected instead of fueling violence and bloodshed in the war-torn country.

The participants strongly reacted to Iran’s Foreign Minister Jawad Zarifi’s remarks in which he had asked the Afghan government to seek the help of Fatemiyon Force in tacking terrorists.

Organizer of the gathering, Abdul Wali Wahidzi, head of the Unity and Change Karwan, said some people who in the past destroyed their own country with support of Iran and Russia were now talking about a second resistance these days.

“Which resistance? Are they talking about the one in which nails were hammered in the heads of Afghans or the one in which Naheed jumps from the fifth floor to protect her honor?” he asked.

The participants condemned Afghan government’s silence over Zarifi’s remarks and Russia’s announcement regarding the start of the second resistance.

ToryaliMangal, a tribal elder, said regional countries had imposed the current war on Afghanistan for their own interest but it could end if the Afghans got united.

He asked the Taliban to get full advantage of the available opportunity and reach a peace agreement with the government as soon as possible.

Rabbani Wahdat, another participant and a teacher in Shaikh Zahid University, said the behavior of neighboring countries with Afghanistan was neither based on the principals of humanity nor good neighborhood.

“We don’t have friends, our neighbor are not our friends. For example Iran is an Islamic country and our neighbor, but its behavior and policies towards Afghanistan are not based on the principals of Islam or humanity,” he said.