Kabul Blasts and Great Game in Afghanistan

Yesterday, there was a huge bomb explosion in so called Green Zone (diplomatic zone) in Afghan capital Kabul. 90 persons have lost their life and around 400 have been injured. This has been deadliest attack in Kabul for last few years. As there has been high civilian casualties, Taliban has denied their hand in this bombing. But Afghan intelligence believes Haqqani Network, a Pakistani group aligned with the Taliban carried it out. The bomb which was, concealed in a water delivery truck outside the offices of a major local cellphone company and a popular TV station just 400 yards from German embassy.

It seems that a new great game has started in Afghanistan. Pakistan, Russia, China and possibly Iran are on one side and Afghan Government, USA, India and other European powers are on another side. Pakistan has always backed Taliban and it had played double game by supporting United Sates coalition and Taliban at the same time. Now it is facilitating talks with Taliban. Russia & China has been actively engaging Taliban over last couple of years. As per Taliban, even Iran has established contacts with Taliban. These countries think that current Afghan Government is very weak and is pro-American. Russian wants to have more say in Afghanistan and these countries think that only Taliban can help them in increasing their influence. Chinese also don’t want to see American backed Afghan government succeed in their own neighborhood. Pakistan has always treated Afghanistan as their own backyard. As per Pakistan’s defense policy, they must have a friendly or puppet government at Kabul so that Afghanistan can be used as a strategic depth in case of war with India.

On the other hand, Americans don’t want the return of Taliban in Kabul. NATO has spent 16 years fighting in Afghanistan and lost thousands of soldiers in war with Taliban. And now they don’t want to go empty handed. At least they want a respectable exit form Afghanistan. The current Ashraf Ghani government wanted to have better relationship with Pakistan and even downgraded relation with India initially. But as usual Pakistan played double game as usual and it has forced Afghan Government to see a close partnership with old ally India. Today, India has a huge presence in Afghanistan and Indians are helping in many developmental projects in Afghanistan. In return, Afghanistan has joined India in condemning Pakistan sponsored terrorism in Afghanistan & India. There have been many border skirmishes between Pakistan & Afghan forces in recent times. Pakistan accuses India of instigating Afghans against Pakistan.

The Afghan Government is weak and its army is still not capable of handling Taliban on its own. But the government & Army are getting better day by day. There has been a surge of nationalism in Afghanistan. Thousands of citizens came forward to donate blood for injured people in Kabul. It is a good sign in a country divided on ethnic lines. Now Afghan people are understanding the benefits of development. We now rarely find armies of warlords in Afghanistan now. Another threat of ISIS has emerged in the region. ISIS wants to demonstrate that they can carry out terror attacks in Afghanistan & Pakistan. This threat may force re-calibration of strategies in this new Great Game. Civilized world can’t afford to allow ISIS to gain a foothold in this reason. A stable Afghanistan is must for world security, prosperity in South Asia and success of Chinese OBOR project. 

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