Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Criticizes Taliban’s Inaction Amid Recent Military Threats
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Afghanistan’s Hezb-e-Islami party, has issued a fresh warning that repeated military threats against Afghanistan from neighboring countries and the United States have brought the country to the brink of another imposed war.
Hekmatyar referred to recent airstrikes on the Barmal and Kabul districts carried out by Pakistan, as well as harsh rhetoric from U.S. officials regarding the recapture of Bagram. He emphasized that the Afghan people have yet to receive a clear response from the Taliban administration and political institutions in the face of these threats.
He criticized the lack of official disclosure about the details of recent military operations, such as the perpetrators of attacks, the nature of casualties, and their outcomes, describing the situation as questionable. According to him, the longstanding alignment between the United States and Pakistan, along with their recent coordinated political and military maneuvers, indicates synchronized decision-making regarding Afghanistan.
The Hezb-e-Islami leader noted that since 2001, Afghanistan’s airspace and overall environment have been under the complete control of foreign powers. He stressed that current claims that the country’s airspace remains dominated by others signal the potential start of a new proxy war on Afghan soil.
Hekmatyar declared that defending the land, independence, and national sovereignty is a responsibility for all Afghans. To confront the current situation, he called for putting aside internal disputes and forming a national consensus. He warned that without such unity, the country risks being swept once again into the vortex of a proxy war, which would no longer be controllable by its own people.
He urged citizens to be aware of the ongoing situation and prepare to counter these threats. He stated that superficial responses, such as isolated condemnations or silence in the face of aggression, are insufficient and stressed the need for collective and informed decision-making.
Hekmatyar cautioned against allowing regional and extra-regional countries—including India, Iran, the United States, China, Russia, and Arab states—to use Afghanistan as a battleground for their military and political rivalries.
He explicitly condemned those who betrayed their people in the past by serving foreign interests and said they are now eagerly awaiting their return to fuel future proxy wars. He stressed that such individuals must not be permitted to operate.
In conclusion, Hekmatyar called on the Afghan people to rely on their religious and national values to discern friend from foe clearly and to be prepared to defend their country against any form of invasion.
