'Legitimate defensive position': Afghanistan on offensive operations against Taliban

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 15 : Afghanistan has defended its decision to launch offensive operations against the Taliban following terror attacks in several parts of country that killed scores of people.
"Recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan have widely been condemned by Afghan people and the entire world. In order to keep its people secure and thwart such terrorist attacks, the Afghan government declared its legitimate defensive position against those who claim the responsibilities for such incidents," Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan said in a release responding to the recent remarks of Russian Federation's Presidential Envoy Zamir Kabulov.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's order to launch an offensive against the Taliban and the suspension of the release of Taliban prisoners will halt the process of launching intra-Afghan negotiations, Kabulov had told TASS news agency on Wednesday.
"This is regrettable, because by his actions the head of the Kabul administration actually stalls the process of moving towards the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations," he had said.
Responding to the remarks, Afghanistan has said: "Undoubtedly, any country who would face such attacks ending with martyrdom of infants and mothers, would take the same position."
It stressed that Afghan government has made its best efforts for brining sustainable peace, and would continue its efforts.
"As the world is in crisis due to Corona, the Afghan government took an initiative and developed a peace plan in three articles. Ceasefire during the Corona pandemic, immediate commencement of intra-Afghan talks and prisoners release from both sides were clearly mentioned in this plan. This proposal was shared with the Taliban as well as with regional and international allies," the release from Afghanistan Foreign Ministry said.
While highlighting that the proposal was firmly endorsed by neighbours and regional and international colleagues, but 'no positive respond from Taliban', Afghanistan said: "Had the Taliban positively responded to that proposal, such terrorist attacks, no matter who is responsible for, could have been averted. Once again, we call on our regional and international colleagues to announce their endorsement of this peace proposal and persuade the Taliban to join the peace process," it said.
Afghanistan said it is evident, that those who haven't positively responded should take the responsibility for having no progress in the peace process. "Peace is the most important priority of the Afghan government, meanwhile, the Afghan government would utilize all resources to ensure the security and defend its people," it said.
Following multiple attacks that rocked Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani had ordered Afghan Forces to switch to 'offensive' mode and to resume attacks on Taliban.
Fourteen people, including two infants, were killed at a maternity hospital in western part of Kabul, which was attacked by gunmen on Tuesday.
In Nangarhar, in the east of Afghanistan, a funeral ceremony was hit by an explosion in which 24 people were killed and more than a dozen wounded.