US occupation root cause of Afghan insecurity: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mohammad Daoud Abedi, the chairman of the Afghan Nation Peace Council from Los Angeles, to get his take on the new wave of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan amid a leadership struggle among Taliban officials.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: With the appointment of the Taliban's new leader, we have seen an increase in bomb attacks across Afghanistan. What kind of an agenda do you think he is following, despite differences of opinion within the ranks of the Taliban over the appointment of Akhtar?

Abedi: What is happening here after the pass-away of Mullah Mohammad Omar, there are different branches of Taliban now struggling for election or choosing their leader. But we all know, there is division between them. Some have supported Mullah Mansur and some others have rejected him including Mullah Omar. Mullah Mansur himself at the very first speech he gave after he was appointed as the new leader of Taliban, rejected the peace talk and word. I don’t know if he meant really that not to follow up the peace plan or he might follow later, but there are different divisions of the Taliban active now. These activities in Kabul, the three bombings, it could be a part of those that Taliban rejected peace process with the Afghan government. Therefore, in order to put pressure on the Kabul government as well as the occupying forces of Afghanistan ...

Press TV: More than a decade since the invasion of Afghanistan to root out the Taliban, and of course they’re not only still there, but they also to seem to be getting stronger. What kind of a situation are we going to see in Afghanistan in the near future?

Abedi: As far as I see, the situation in Afghanistan will deteriorate as long as the occupation forces stay in Afghanistan, because that is the main problem in Afghanistan. And the only reason for the continuation of the war in Afghanistan is the presence of illegal occupation forces in Afghanistan and in the neighborhood. Therefore, in the near future I don’t see any peace coming to Afghanistan, because right now the situation is very very good for the Islamic government or Daesh. Those Taliban are not happy with the election or candidate of Mullah Mansur being as the leader of Taliban. They have no other choice, but to go to Daesh and support themselves to stand against the occupation forces, against the military forces of Afghanistan as well as their own comrade friends that a few days ago they were all at the same situation fighting the occupation forces. But now, they have to fight each other, because the Daesh force also is a part of these Taliban that were not happy with the peace process in Afghanistan. So, now there will be more desertion from the Taliban that already relates to the future of Afghanistan.

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