Islamic system only hope for Afghan peace, says Taleban
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KABUL • The Taleban yesterday said it remains committed to peace talks, but insisted that a "genuine Islamic system" in Afghanistan is the only way to end the war and ensure rights, including for women.
Talks between the militants and the Afghan government have been deadlocked for months and violence has surged across the country since May, when the US military began its final withdrawal.
Fears are also growing that if the Taleban returns to power, it will reimpose its harsh version of Islamic law, under which girls were banned from school and women accused of crimes such as adultery were stoned to death in stadiums.
Despite the rise in violence, Taleban co-founder and deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said yesterday that the group is committed to the peace talks.
"Our very participation in the negotiations... indicates openly that we believe in resolving issues through (mutual) understanding," he said in a statement.
He added that the only way to end the conflict in Afghanistan is to establish an Islamic system after the departure of all foreign forces: "A genuine Islamic system is the best means for solution of all issues of the Afghans."
His statement acknowledges the fears in Afghanistan and abroad about the kind of system that would emerge - and its impact especially on women - saying that fell "within the ambit of the intra-Afghan negotiations".
Baradar also assured that the rights of all Afghans, including women, will be accommodated in that system according to "the glorious religion of Islam" and Afghan traditions.
But many fear that the Taleban's interpretation of rights will clash with the changes that have happened in Afghan society since 2001.
In May, a US intelligence report said the gains made over the past two decades on women's rights would be rolled back if the militants returned to power.
And as the United States presses ahead to meet a Sept 11 deadline to complete its troop withdrawal, the Taleban militants have fought daily battles with government forces and claim to have captured 40 districts.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
