Afghan CE in U.S.: terror sanctuaries big challenge for us

AVA- Abdullah was speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

He said that there are still terror groups that receive support outside Afghanistan, and that the Taliban are the umbrella for all terror groups in the region.

Abdullah also rejected Pakistan claims that TTP enjoys support from Afghan government.

“We are fighting against them we consider them as a threat and we don’t make differentiation between this terror group and that terrorist group and we have never supported any terrorist group in our country,” Abdullah said.

Commenting on peace, Abdullah said that the government has kept the door open for peace.

“Majority of the people of Afghanistan are keen to see the peaceful process,” he said, adding there are challenges ahead for the process.

“There are still groups that they believe can overcome, take over through methods of terror and violence and they receive support and they have sanctuaries that remains to be a big challenge for us but I have no doubt in my mind that there will be conditions and circumstances that more and more groups will be convinced that they need to join peace rather to continue an endless war,” he said.

Abdullah also stressed on the importance of new U.S. strategy on South Asia, saying it is not based on a timeline but condition.

“When it is said that the political element is weak I don’t agree it. The political part of it is the main issue. The aim is that those forces which are fighting against the government of Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan will be persuaded to come to the negotiating table,” he said.