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Afghan Government Says Elections First, Peace Deal Afterward

Associated Press

   KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - The Afghan government will consider making a
   ``legitimate'' peace with insurgentsonlyafter national elections are
   held this month, an official told reporters Saturday, despite the
   atmosphere of political uncertainty following the sudden halt in
   U.S.-Taliban peace talks.
   President Donald Trump abruptly called off talks to end American's
   longest war last week. The Afghan government was largely shut out of
   the negotiations andwasconcerned that any finalized U.S.-Taliban deal
   would delay the elections while a national unity government was formed,
   forcing the exit of President Ashraf Ghani.
   ``Nothing will impede the presidential election from happening,'' said
   the Afghan presidential spokesman,SediqSeddiqi.
   He said that a peace deal with the Taliban could comeonlyafter holding
   the presidential election scheduled for Sept. 28. ``Legitimacy of peace
   cannot be achieved without elections,'' he said.

   Security concerns
   Sediqqialso suggested that there will be a ``big change'' toward
   improving security across the country ahead of the voting.The Taliban,
   who consider the Afghan government a U.S. puppet, have warned Afghans
   not to vote andhave saidpolling stations will be targets.
   Sediqqipointed to a Taliban delegation's visit to Russia, just days
   after Trump called off talks, to say the insurgents are faced with a
   ``political failure'' of their own. He added that the Taliban should
   hold talks directly with the Afghan government--which they have refused
   to do--rather than foreign powers.
   On Friday, a Taliban negotiating team visited Russia, where they held
   consultations with ZamirKabulov, President Vladimir Putin's envoy for
   Afghanistan.
   The Interfax news agency cited an unidentified Russian Foreign Ministry
   spokesman as saying the meeting underlined the necessity of renewing
   talks between the U.S. and the Taliban, and that the Taliban confirmed
   their readiness to continue dialogue with Washington.
   It was the Taliban's first international visit following the collapse
   of talks with Washington. The team was led by Mullah Sher
   MohammadStanikzai.
   Trump tweeted Saturday that the Taliban was being hit hard militarily
   in the wake of the U.S. pulling out of negotiations following the death
   of a U.S. soldier.
   ``The Taliban has never been hit harder than it is being hit right
   now,'' he said. ``Killing 12 people, including one great American
   soldier, was not a good idea. There are much better ways to set up a
   negotiation. The Taliban knows they made a big mistake, and they have
   no idea how to recover!''
   Moscow has twice this year hosted meetings between the Taliban and
   prominent Afghan personalities.
   Sediqqisaid that the Afghan government has suspended its own peace
   efforts for now. After the elections, the ``progress of the peace
   process'' willbe a priority, he said.

   Bomb in Kapisa province
   Separately in easternKapisaprovince, a bomb killed at least three
   civilians who had gathered to watch a volleyball game,
   saidNasratRahimi, spokesman for the Interior Ministry.
   Rahimi added that two other civilians were wounded when Friday's blast
   occurred in theTagabdistrict. No group immediately claimed
   responsibility.
   Alsoin southern Kandahar province, in an insider attack, two policemen
   turned on their colleagues and shot dead at least nine police officers
   at a checkpoint, according to a provincial official who spoke on
   condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk
   toreporters.
   The attack happened in the ShahWaliKotdistrict late on Friday night and
   both attackers fled the area, the official said.
   A Taliban spokesman,QariYusoufAhmadi, claimed responsibility for the
   attack.

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