Residents and members of Baghlan provincial council claimed on Saturday that government’s incompetency has led to a number of militants, who had recently joined the peace process, rejoin the Taliban ranks.
Officials accused the government of not supporting the militants who had laid down their arms and seeing to it that the militants did not reintegrate to the Taliban.
“Government failed to give them jobs which led some of the militants to rejoin the Taliban and therefore even a single Taliban member have not joined the peace process for long,” a resident of Baghlan named Raouf said.
“Government didn’t take proper steps to prevent them from rejoining the Taliban,” another resident named Shahnawaz said.
According to them, government’s lack of support has created a mistrust among the militants.
“Government failed to provide employment to those who join the peace process and that a mistrust was created,” member of Baghlan provincial council Shamsulhaq Barakzai said.
“The numbers of individuals rejoining the Taliban are few. But the government failed to provide employment for those who joined the peace process, therefore we are struggling to overcome the issue,” head of Baghlan provincial council, Abdul Samad Stanikzai said.
According to provincial figures, up to one thousand militants have so far joined the peace process in Baghlan, since the High Peace Council established for this purpose.
