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| Afghan President Demands Pakistan Take Military Action Against Taliban | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — After courting Pakistan for more than a year, President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan changed course on Monday and warned that he would lodge a complaint with the United Nations Security Council if Pakistan refuses to take military action against Taliban leaders operating from its soil to wage an increasingly deadly insurgency across Afghanistan. | |
| Mr. Ghani has taken pains to persuade Pakistan’s leadership, particularly its powerful military, to bring the insurgent leaders to the negotiating table. But an increase in Taliban violence, including a brutal attack last week in the heart of the Afghan capital, Kabul, that left at least 64 people killed and more than 300 wounded, has forced Mr. Ghani to effectively end what has been a cornerstone effort of his troubled presidency. | Mr. Ghani has taken pains to persuade Pakistan’s leadership, particularly its powerful military, to bring the insurgent leaders to the negotiating table. But an increase in Taliban violence, including a brutal attack last week in the heart of the Afghan capital, Kabul, that left at least 64 people killed and more than 300 wounded, has forced Mr. Ghani to effectively end what has been a cornerstone effort of his troubled presidency. |
| “I want to make it clear that we do not expect Pakistan to bring the Taliban to talks,” Mr. Ghani said on Monday in a rare joint session of the two houses of the Afghan Parliament. | |
| He said that in quadrilateral talks over the past year that involved the United States and China, Pakistan had pledged “in writing” to go after Taliban leaders who refuse to join the peace process. | He said that in quadrilateral talks over the past year that involved the United States and China, Pakistan had pledged “in writing” to go after Taliban leaders who refuse to join the peace process. |
| “We want the Pakistanis to fulfill their promises in the quadrilateral and take military action against those who have their centers in Pakistan and whose leaders are in Pakistan based on our security organizations, the intelligence of our international partners, and the words of Pakistan officials,” Mr. Ghani said. | “We want the Pakistanis to fulfill their promises in the quadrilateral and take military action against those who have their centers in Pakistan and whose leaders are in Pakistan based on our security organizations, the intelligence of our international partners, and the words of Pakistan officials,” Mr. Ghani said. |
| “If we do not see a change, despite our hopes and efforts for regional cooperation, we will be forced to turn to the U.N. Security Council and launch serious diplomatic efforts.” | “If we do not see a change, despite our hopes and efforts for regional cooperation, we will be forced to turn to the U.N. Security Council and launch serious diplomatic efforts.” |
| Despite repeated promises from Pakistan to bring Taliban leaders to talks, the peace efforts seem to have gone nowhere, with the insurgency using the window to consolidate after infighting emerged in the ranks and launch another spring offensive promising to be bloodier than in years past. Unlike previous years, the violence did not subside even in the harsh winter months. | Despite repeated promises from Pakistan to bring Taliban leaders to talks, the peace efforts seem to have gone nowhere, with the insurgency using the window to consolidate after infighting emerged in the ranks and launch another spring offensive promising to be bloodier than in years past. Unlike previous years, the violence did not subside even in the harsh winter months. |
| In his address on Monday, Mr. Ghani called the insurgents terrorists who “take pleasure in the torn-up bodies of our innocents,” and their leaders “slavelike” and involved in narcotics mafias. | In his address on Monday, Mr. Ghani called the insurgents terrorists who “take pleasure in the torn-up bodies of our innocents,” and their leaders “slavelike” and involved in narcotics mafias. |
| But the Taliban were quick to respond; their spokesmen posted on Twitter live during Mr. Ghani’s address. | But the Taliban were quick to respond; their spokesmen posted on Twitter live during Mr. Ghani’s address. |
| “The nation is not blind — it realizes who is a slave, and who is a hireling,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posting a picture of senior government officials listening to the former commander of NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John F. Campbell. “We will continue fighting until the occupation is ended.” | “The nation is not blind — it realizes who is a slave, and who is a hireling,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posting a picture of senior government officials listening to the former commander of NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John F. Campbell. “We will continue fighting until the occupation is ended.” |