Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of US Forces and NATO in Afghanistan, addressed a press in Kabul on Thursday and said the Taliban has become a “criminal organization that is more interested in profits from drugs, kidnapping and murder for hire.”
He called on the group to lay down their arms and end the war.
“Taliban have a simple choice: Stop fighting against your countrymen. Stop killing innocent civilians. Stop bringing hardship and misery,” he said.
He also said: “We will not fail in Afghanistan. Our national security depends on that as well.”
Nicholson made it clear that the US and NATO stand by the Afghan security forces against terrorists and enemies of Afghanistan and said that the Taliban cannot win on the battlefield. “It’s time for them to join the peace process.”
“Afghan people want peace and the international community are with you in that journey – it’s a shared vision we can all work towards,” he said.
Nicholson said that the US forces and NATO Resolute Support Mission will increase train, advise, assist efforts in Afghanistan and more advisors from the US and NATO means enhancing training at military schools and growing the Afghan Air Force and Special Forces.
