Once-Feared Afghan Warlord Is Still Causing Trouble, but Talking Peace
- 6 years ago
Once-Feared Afghan Warlord Is Still Causing Trouble, but Talking Peace
Western diplomats, in contrast, lean toward a deal bringing the Taliban into the central government, similar to the arrangement with Mr. Hekmatyar, and dismiss the model of local autonomy as "Talibanistan." Mr. Hekmatyar has also suggested
that individual Taliban commanders could join the peace process by first joining his party, and in this way be grandfathered into its settlement with the government.
By ANDREW E. KRAMERMARCH 4, 2018
KABUL, Afghanistan — When President Ashraf Ghani stood up last week to try to lure the Taliban to peace talks, promising them amnesty and political inclusion, he could point to a recent example: the deal
that brought the militant group Hezb-i-Islami and its deeply divisive leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, in from the battlefield.
In an interview in his government-provided residence in Kabul in February, Mr. Hekmatyar said his participation in Afghan politics showed the Taliban
that they, too, could wield influence after laying down their weapons.
Mr. Hekmatyar said he knew Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, in the 1980s
and once saved the future terrorist leader’s life by breaking a Soviet Army encirclement of Arab fighters.
In the interview, Mr. Hekmatyar denied attacking civilians but openly discussed what he described as one of his more successful operations of the war: an ambush of a United States troop convoy
that "caused casualties." He had also been a target himself, he said, narrowly escaping an American drone strike that homed in on a signal of his satellite telephone.
Mr. Hekmatyar is promoting a reconciliation with the Taliban
that would grant local autonomy to the insurgent group in certain regions, or peace provinces.
" he said. that A large number of Taliban could join the government if the peace agreement with Hezb-i-Islami is successful,
Western diplomats, in contrast, lean toward a deal bringing the Taliban into the central government, similar to the arrangement with Mr. Hekmatyar, and dismiss the model of local autonomy as "Talibanistan." Mr. Hekmatyar has also suggested
that individual Taliban commanders could join the peace process by first joining his party, and in this way be grandfathered into its settlement with the government.
By ANDREW E. KRAMERMARCH 4, 2018
KABUL, Afghanistan — When President Ashraf Ghani stood up last week to try to lure the Taliban to peace talks, promising them amnesty and political inclusion, he could point to a recent example: the deal
that brought the militant group Hezb-i-Islami and its deeply divisive leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, in from the battlefield.
In an interview in his government-provided residence in Kabul in February, Mr. Hekmatyar said his participation in Afghan politics showed the Taliban
that they, too, could wield influence after laying down their weapons.
Mr. Hekmatyar said he knew Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, in the 1980s
and once saved the future terrorist leader’s life by breaking a Soviet Army encirclement of Arab fighters.
In the interview, Mr. Hekmatyar denied attacking civilians but openly discussed what he described as one of his more successful operations of the war: an ambush of a United States troop convoy
that "caused casualties." He had also been a target himself, he said, narrowly escaping an American drone strike that homed in on a signal of his satellite telephone.
Mr. Hekmatyar is promoting a reconciliation with the Taliban
that would grant local autonomy to the insurgent group in certain regions, or peace provinces.
" he said. that A large number of Taliban could join the government if the peace agreement with Hezb-i-Islami is successful,