Daily Times

Afghanistan has become a country where no one knows when one would be harmed by landmines, suicide attacks, or other happenings. The Afghans live in a land where life resources are few but the causes of death are abundant. Haplessness is visible everywhere while happiness is missing. And why shouldn’t it be when the Afghans have been at war for the past four decades? The recent incident where 20 people were killed as mortars hit a wedding party in Helmand province is something that will haunt not only the province but also the country for a long time. It is not the first time a wedding party has been attacked inadvertently. Before it was the NATO forces that were involved in such bloodbaths, now it is the Afghan forces that have killed innocents. The victims of the mortar attack say they seek presidential intervention and until President Ashraf Ghani in person visits the locality, they will remain on hunger strike. The ill-fated bride, who was also injured and whose wedding party was devastated by the attack, succumbed to her injuries in hospital. Six Afghan National Army (ANA) troops have been detained in connection with the incident.

The tragedy appears to be the outcome of an attack by the Taliban when they hit an ANA outpost and then infiltrated the wedding party where people were busy in celebrations. ANA troops pounded the house with mortars thinking the participants of the wedding were also Taliban who had gathered for a coordinated attack. This is the biggest ever human intelligence failure. There should be a serious investigation into the matter. Though a few officers have been arrested, unless there is a thorough investigation and those responsible are punished, such incidents will keep occurring and undermine the writ of the government. The government also needs to provide speedy justice to the victims. It is really hard to forget the pain of the loss of their near and dear ones. The government should try to heal the scars of the tragic incident and soothe the grief and anger of the victims’ families. The Taliban should be taught a lesson so that they know that they too will not find peace if they go on killing. This macabre slaughter of the wedding party should be an incident for turning enmity into brotherhood, bloodshed into peace. This will be possible only when the Taliban realise their warpath is misguided because in this war, Afghans are the worst losers and the only victims. *