- Title: Son of Afghan resistance hero criticises "secretive" U.S. Taliban deal
- Date: 6th September 2019
- Summary: PANJSHIR, AFGHANISTAN (SEPTEMBER 5, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AHMAD MASSOUD, SON OF FORMER AFGHAN ANTI-SOVIET MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOUD GREETING WITH FORMER MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDERS AND OTHER GUESTS AHMAD WALKING UP ON STAIRS ALONGSIDE HIS COLLEAGUES AHMAD SITTING FOR INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) AHMAD MASSOUD, SON OF FORMER AFGHAN ANTI-SOVIET MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOUD, SAYING: "How it's (Peace Process) been managing so far and how it has been kind of handling so far, it's very secretive and it has happened behind the doors and the people do not know what sort of agreement the United States of America - very big and important, a superpower - is having with the Taliban." AHMAD'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) AHMAD MASSOUD, SON OF FORMER AFGHAN ANTI-SOVIET MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOUD, SAYING: "The American stance regarding the term emirates because the Taliban, they are really emphasizing, they are saying the redline for us is the emirate and Islamic emirate of Afghanistan, which for us the republic, the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, this is our redline, this is something which is acceptable by all Afghans. If you are trying to change this, it should be done only and only to a referendum." VARIOUS OF AHMAD AND HIS VISITORS PRAYING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AHMAD MASSOUD, SON OF FORMER AFGHAN ANTI-SOVIET MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOUD, SAYING: "After the peace process, no political or non-political or military group, but the government should have guns, and to bring like their agenda on the ground with guns, that should not happen, if they are trying to reach something it should always happen through peaceful and political actions." VARIOUS OF AHMAD TALKING TO HIS VISITORS AHMAD'S FACE WHILE TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AHMAD MASSOUD, SON OF FORMER AFGHAN ANTI-SOVIET MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOUD, SAYING: "My father never tried to be the main face, the main figure of the resistance or jihad, he was a charismatic leader, he became like that, the people respected him, and also we do not want the same that thing too. We do not want to be the main thing or just to have to accept all responsibilities. Afghanistan needs a nation, Afghanistan needs a generation to take up and to pick up the responsibility to do the responsibility to solve the problem. It's not one-man job." PEOPLE GATHERED AT CEREMONY WHERE AHMAD MASSOUD ANNOUNCES HIS NEW POLITICAL MOVEMENT AHMAD SITTING ON STAGE ALONGSIDE AFGHAN OFFICIALS AND FORMER MUJAHIDEEN COMMANDERS AHMAD WALKING TO PODIUM AND PARTICIPANTS CHEERING VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS SEATED AT THE CEREMONY
- Embargoed: 20th September 2019 12:13
- Keywords: Afghanistan peace deal United States and the Taliban Ahmad Massoud
- Location: PANJSHIR, AFGHANISTAN
- City: PANJSHIR, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AVIQ2BR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The "secretive" peace deal between the United States and the Taliban risks wide resistance in Afghanistan if it opens the door to the insurgents' hardline regime, the son of the slain hero of the anti-Soviet resistance, Ahmad Shah Massoud said on Thursday (September 5).
Ahmad Massoud, who was 12 years old when his father was assassinated just days before the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, has been among a string of Afghan politicians criticising the accord reached with the Taliban this week.
"It's very secretive, it has happened behind closed doors and the people do not know what sort of agreement the United States of America - a very big and important power - is having with the Taliban," Massoud told Reuters in an interview at his family's house in the Panjshir valley.
While Massoud is yet to carve out a central position of his own in Afghan politics, the aura of one of his father's name adds weight to his words in a country where the habits of dynastic politics remain deeply ingrained.
Speaking after a rally of some 10,000 supporters at his father's mausoleum on Thursday, the comments reflect deep suspicion among many in Afghanistan of an agreement reached without involvement by Afghan authorities themselves.
The peace accord would see thousands of U.S. troops withdrawn in exchange for promises not to let Afghanistan be used as a base for future militant attacks on the United States and its allies.
It is intended as a first step to a peace deal between the Taliban and wider Afghan society but it remains unclear what will happen next. The insurgents have refused to negotiate directly with the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate "puppet" regime and mistrust abounds.
President Ashraf Ghani's spokesman said this week the government had serious concerns and wanted further clarification from Washington.
Although details have not been made public, the fact that the accord appears to acknowledge the Taliban's self-described status as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has aroused particular anger.
Many Taliban officials have said the country's constitutional status should revert to the Islamic Emirate, but opponents see the term as a direct challenge to the internationally recognised Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the state formed after the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
(Production: Aziz Mohammad, Hameed Farzad) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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