News Analysis: Cooperation between regional, world powers essential for returning durable peace in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has been suffering due to protracted war and civil strife over the past more than three decades. Countless Afghans have been killed, maimed and millions others migrated to the neighboring states of Pakistan, Iran and other parts of the world.

The unabated militancy involving more than a dozen armed groups including Taliban, the so-called Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaida, according to observers have been fighting in Afghanistan even 15 years after launching the U.S.-led coalition invasion against Taliban regime and dismissing it from power in late 2001.

Some 150,000 strong U.S.-led coalition forces ended combat mission and departed to their home countries in late 2014 but Afghan militancy is still going on and claims the lives of Afghans almost every day elsewhere in the militancy-plagued country.

Afghan experts believe that terrorism and extremist elements destabilizing Afghanistan posing threat to the region and the world at large receives supports from circles outside the war-torn country.

"The sanctuaries of Taliban and like-mined elements are outside Afghanistan. The breeding center of extremism and terrorists and their financial resources are outside Afghanistan," political and military expert Gen. (Rtd) Atiqullah Omarkhil told Xinhua.

"There will be no viable peace and stability in Afghanistan unless and until the sanctuaries of militants outside the country are closed down and their financial resources are choked off," the well-respected analyst noted in an interview recently.

Taliban militants as well as the ultra-extremist IS fighters have intensified activities over the past couple of months which have claimed thousands of lives from the insurgents, security forces and civilians.

The armed insurgents backed by foreign fighters, according to analysts have secured areas in Kunduz, Badghis and Faryab along the border with the Ex-Soviet Union central Asian states.

"There are fighters from central Asian states including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and even from Chechen alongside the Taliban and if the hardliner group were able to consolidate positions in the northern region of Afghanistan it would definitely undermine the situation in the region and beyond including Russia," the analyst warned.

To overcome the security threats and curb the ongoing insurgency in Afghanistan, the analyst argued, it is essential for the countries in the region and beyond the region to join hands in the war on extremism and terrorism.

All the militant groups and extremist elements including Taliban and IS fighting in Afghanistan are the protégée of foreign countries intelligence agencies, the analyst opined, saying "a proxy war of foreign powers" is going on in Afghanistan and Afghans are the victim of a conflict raged for the interests of foreign powers.

According to Afghan observers that lack of harmony among government's organs especially the security apparatus has facilitated the armed opposition groups to speed up operations and consolidate their grips.

"Lack of coordination among security organs has availed Taliban and other militant groups to expand activities in different parts of the country and gain more grounds," another expert Tahir Yarghal told local media recently.

"The threats of Taliban, IS, al-Qaida and like-minded groups would spill over across the region if Afghanistan's neighboring states and big powers including United States of America and China overlook the ongoing situation and increasing insurgency in Afghanistan," the renown analyst Omarkhil cautioned. Endit