Kabul: Nearly 9 months after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan, a new nationalist outfit — Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) — has announced its arrival in the country with the declared goal of ending the “tyrant rule” through an “inevitable conflict”.
The AFF has vowed to restore democracy and rights of women in Afghanistan, while observing that the “current crises can potentially endanger the territorial integrity of the country if it remains unaddressed wisely”.
While little is known about the AFF, it is believed that it comprises members of former Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) and cadres of various resistance groups opposed to the Pakistan-proxy Taliban.
In a statement, which in effect marks its arrival, the group seems to be hinting at launching a military campaign to oust the Taliban, while attacking Pakistan’s notorious intelligence agency ISI in a veiled manner.
“…Taliban’s military takeover (of Afghanistan) occurred through an orchestrated conspiracy by the corrupt circles in the leadership of government and NSF (National Security Forces). Consequences of such a plot appear on daily basis in the lives of common men and women of Afghanistan destructively.
“Therefore, the need to stand against Taliban’s tyrant rule and recovering our country’s democratic institutions, particularly the values enshrined in Chapter 2 of the Constitution are unquestioning,” it says.
The group recalled that the Taliban, during its previous rule from 1996 to 2001, faced a “steadfast and liberating resistance from the people of Afghanistan” led by late Burhanuddin Rabbani and ‘National Hero Shaheed Ahmad Shah Masood’.
Ultimately, “the rightful collective claim (will) of the people, ‘First Resistance’ and international coalition forces defeated the Taliban, which led to the establishment of a new system, hope and motivation for the end of war. Construction and development increased remarkably,” the AFF said.
“But, this group (Taliban), in due time and (with) the direct support of regional intelligence agencies (veiled reference to ISI) and international terrorist networks (reference to groups like Al-Qaida), began rebellion against the newly-established system and defence and security forces of Afghanistan,” it added.
Giving an overview of the situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule since August last year, the AFF says that the Islamist regime is “involved in a wide range of atrocities against our people, including revenge against former military personnel, extra-judicial killings, torture, humiliation and ethnic cleansing of the people from particular areas such as Panjshir, Daikundi and Kandahar.”
It also mentioned the closure of educational institutions for girls.
“Following the collapse of the state institutions, particularly the disintegration of the defence and security forces of the country, Afghanistan has entered a new era of political and social crises and therefore, an inevitable conflict,” it says in the statement.
It said that despite Taliban’s claim of bringing stability in the country, implementing Sharia Law and ensuring security all around the country, “their very nature is intertwined tightly with violence, discrimination, extremism and terrorism.”
The AFF said that “Taliban’s current and previous activities demonstrate their reality as an obstacle towards Afghanistan’s progress and welfare as well as the violators of the people’s basis human rights and dignity.”
