But events like the July execution of a woman in central Afghanistan accused of adultery and now the gruesome killings in Helmand threaten to undo any small advances in the face of a deeply suspicious, if not hostile, public outside the insurgents’ southern and eastern stronghold.
Going by what Helmand governor’s spokesman Daud Ahmadi said, the Taliban stuck when there was a partying. Both music and dance are banned under Taliban.
Since Ahmadi confirmed that the killing was the work of the Taliban, the partying must have taken place in an area under the Taliban control.
Also, since the subjects of Taliban are not known to risk their limbs and lives, why these rural youth had risked their lives remains unclear.
Also how the partying continued for three days in what is undoubtedly conservative rural south.
Either it could be because of an informal relaxation of Taliban decrees or it could be because of confusion amongst the Taliban ranks. Either way, the Taliban have gone against the basic tenants of Islam, which is not attacking unarmed people, particularly who are not inimical towards you. Significantly, Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, in a message ahead of Ramazan festival asked his cadres to ‘emphatically’ avoid civilian deaths as a ‘religious obligation to observe’.
There is a view that the Taliban leadership was not in the loop and if it is indeed so, it shows that some Taliban cadres are becoming a law unto themselves.
This is cause for concern as much to the Taliban leadership as to the American commanders since the Qatar is beckoning them both for a serious dialogue. Roshan Abad slaughter is a signal that grassroots fighters may not be in a mood for any compromise.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf has denied his group was involved in Roshan Abad. “The boys must have been drunk, fighting one another. We were not involved,” he was quoted as saying in media dispatches. His remark throws up more questions than it answers on the state of affairs under the Taliban hood.
The chief coalition spokesman, German Brigadier General Gunter Katz, believes that 10 percent of attacks had a direct Taliban infiltration link, while another 15 percent were suspected of having insurgent involvement.
It is but natural to entertain concern over the state of affairs in Afghanistan once the US led forces withdraw from the country as scheduled. Their presence has not prevented the Taliban and their ilk to commit brutal crimes particularly women. So, will Washington and Kabul be able ensure respect for humanity later? And how will they prevent the return of Afghanistan to the Stone Age? Well, these are questions without ready answers not only in the context of Afghanistan but also Pakistan, especially the tribal belt which is Talibanised already.