Surrender in Kandahar
- 12 years ago
Surrender in Kandahar.
A group of 50 Taliban insurgents gave up their arms and joined the Afghan government .
The insurgents handed over the white flag of Taliban receiving an Afghan government flag in return.
Commander Feda Mohammad said they were fed up with fighting
(SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) TALIBAN COMMANDER, FEDA MOHAMMAD, SAYING:
"Our houses were destroyed, and our friends martyred as a result of war. Now we've decided to join the Afghan government and live in peace in the future."
The surrender comes after Monday's disclosure by senior U.S. officials that their 10-month secret dialogue with Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents had reached a critical juncture, and a breakthrough leading to peace talks to end the 10-year Afghan war is possible.
The stakes could not be higher. Failure could condemn Afghanistan to continued conflict.
Success could mean a political end to the war and the possibility that parts of the Taliban could be reconciled.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
A group of 50 Taliban insurgents gave up their arms and joined the Afghan government .
The insurgents handed over the white flag of Taliban receiving an Afghan government flag in return.
Commander Feda Mohammad said they were fed up with fighting
(SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) TALIBAN COMMANDER, FEDA MOHAMMAD, SAYING:
"Our houses were destroyed, and our friends martyred as a result of war. Now we've decided to join the Afghan government and live in peace in the future."
The surrender comes after Monday's disclosure by senior U.S. officials that their 10-month secret dialogue with Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents had reached a critical juncture, and a breakthrough leading to peace talks to end the 10-year Afghan war is possible.
The stakes could not be higher. Failure could condemn Afghanistan to continued conflict.
Success could mean a political end to the war and the possibility that parts of the Taliban could be reconciled.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters