Kabul condemns Taliban's announcement of spring offensive, reiterates call for peace

The statement said that the announcement comes at a time when efforts for ending the “imposed war” with the initiative of the Afghan government are intensely ongoing and the group is engaged in peace talks directly with the United States.
The statement noted that clerics of the country and the world have called the Taliban’s fighting has no religious legitimacy and called it illegitimate.
In their statement, the Taliban claimed that the Afghan government seeks to attain its objectives through the use of force by announcing Khalid military operation last month.
The government said it has not announced launch of any combat operation, rather it has removed obstacles for peace. The statement said that continuing the conflict benefits no one.
It said that the Taliban targeted innocent people of Afghanistan with instructions from outsiders in their previous operations. They used women and children as shield, the statement said.
The statement called on leaders and members of the Taliban who oppose the announcement of the offensive to raise their voice against the move.
The statement said that the Afghan forces have been instructed to take all necessary measures for defending the people and the territory.