Afghan political leaders decide to form command centre for people’s resistance against Taliban

Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and other political leaders including Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Mohaqiq, as well as the speakers of the National Assembly attended the meeting at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Monday.

There are speculations that Dostum, one of leaders of the erstwhile Northern Alliance and close Indian partner might get a big military role in the fight against the Taliban.

The decision on command centre came a day after Dostum met Ghani, and according to Dostum’s aide, the nation’s top general suggested imposing martial law. “The political leaders suggested that a big military responsibility should be given to Marshal Dostum,” the aide said.

“They agreed on mobilisation, strengthening and the rapid equipping of public uprising forces within the framework of the government” to fight the Taliban, a Palace statement after the meeting said. Key political leaders will be part of this command centre, which will mobilise people in various areas to fight the Taliban.

The development comes as Abdullah Abdullah and other political figures earlier this week explored the idea of the formation of the command centre.

It also comes amid a rapid spread of the fighting to Afghanistan’s provincial capitals. Five provincial capitals have fallen to the Taliban in just four days.

The command centre will determine how many forces it can mobilise and in which areas they will fight the Taliban, Kabul based sources told ET.

There is a need for a sophisticated management system for the security forces in their fight against the Taliban, according to Afghan leaders and analysts.

“In war, even a one-minute opportunity is very important. In war, the plans that are made should be implemented quickly,” military affairs analyst Mehrabuddin Safi said, according Afghanistan’s Tolo News.

“It will not be effective if we don’t see efficiency in action,” said Hamidudin Yuldash, an Afghan MP.

Abdullah Abdullah travelled to Doha on Monday evening for a three-day session there. Representatives of regional countries as well as the EU and the US are expected to attend the three meetings on Afghanistan. But it is not clear whether Abdullah will meet with Taliban leaders in Doha.