** Peace Prospects on Both Sides of the Border
**After Securing Farmer’s Market in Marjah, Afghanistan
Every day soldiers of different genders, ethnicities, religions and cultures put their lives at risk in order to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. They continue to fight so that innocent civilians can hope for and work towards a progressive and stable future free of terrorism. A future when their children will not have to live under tyrannical regimes, when their children will be safe from extremists who school youth to kill themselves and others in the name of God, a future when the youth of a nation will use education and inspiration to help their country prosper. Muslim and non-Muslim soldiers from many NATO allied forces strive to secure market places, mosques and other institutions from insurgent attacks.
NATO TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN BY COUNTRY
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Unfortunately, these extremists deliberately hide themselves among innocent civilians, using them as indiscriminate targets and human shields. This tactic saves their lives and put the lives of innocent Pakistani and Afghan civilians in fatal danger. In 2010, 88% of civilian causalities were caused by terrorists in Afghanistan. Both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, these terrorists target people and institutions working to re-gain security and stability in their country. Recently they attacked a gathering of people in the Mohmand agency who were meeting to unite against the TTP. They attack Afghan security forces in Afghanistan who are serving their country by providing security to Afghans. Only this week they have killed 30 Afghan civilians and many others in Pakistan.
Dawn News - Bomb at Bannu Police Station Kills Several.html
Dawn News - Bus Blast in Kohat kills 17
Nation- Suicide Blast kills 18
Reuters - Suicide Attack Kills At least 40
These extremists know neither religion, nor humanity. They had a chance to rule in Afghanistan and in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. If they wanted, they could have served the people through good governance, building schools, hospitals etc. Instead they destroyed these facilities, terrorized the people, held public executions and banned schools. Do these extremists believe that the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan will forgive their atrocities? More Muslims die every day by the weak left hand of terrorists who claim they are carrying out the will of God. These evil doers try to disrupt the lives of innocent civilians by destroying mosques, schools and other public facilities. How can anyone believe that these extremists would ever show compassion to the same people they are targeting?
The entire international community is committed to help Afghans and Pakistanis deal with the terrorist threat that endangers us all. With the efforts of the Afghan security forces, Pakistani Army and NATO allies, we can give our children a brighter future, free of violent extremism.
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Afghan children pose for a photo during class in Sangin, Afghanistan. Recently, Sangin disctrict tribal elders pledged to remove IED’s and militants from the area in a peace pact.
DET- U.S. Central Command
www.centcom.mil