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Hizb-e-Islami’s Weapons Stockpile Still A Mystery

While the fate of Hizb-e-Islami (HIA) fighters remains uncertain, the ministry of defense (MoD) said on Saturday that they were also unsure of the exact number of weapons owned by the group and its members but that all political parties need to hand in their munitions. 

“I don’t know how many weapons and which weapons are with them [Hizb-e-Islami members]. These things would have been mentioned in their [Hizb-e-Islami’s] agreement with government. They would have reached an agreement in this respect and they will act upon it,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.

The presence of hundreds of heavily armed men accompanying the Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s convoy to Kabul nine days ago sparked major concern among the people and MPs.

Meanwhile, Hizb-e-Islami members last week announced that they have named 3,500 members of the group to be deployed in the security agencies.

“I think we will not need to have an individual army. Our security forces are at the service of those who live in areas under government’s control and these forces have the responsibility to ensure the safety of the people,” said MP Abdul Hafiz Mansour.

A number of Kabul residents meanwhile called on government to collect the weapons from Hizb-e-Islami members and other individuals and parties.

“Those opposition groups that join government should lay down their weapons,” said Mustafa, a resident of Kabul.

“Their [Hizb-e-Islami’s] peace deal with government will not be useful if they refuse to surrender their weapons. It will increase the chaos,” Abdul Wazir, another resident of Kabul.

The Hizb-e-Islami members however have said that they will not lay down their weapons but in turn they will not use them against government.

A spokesman for the group has argued that no one can ensure the safety of the group’s fighters therefore they should remain armed. 

This comes after Hekmatyar signed a peace agreement late last year with government. Nine days ago, Hekmatyar returned to Kabul, for the first time in about 20 years. 

The return of the group’s leader was met with mixed reaction. Some sectors welcomed his return while others were not so welcoming. 

On Friday, the state minister for reforms in the security sector, Amrullah Saleh, said he was not against the peace process, but he was opposed to the way Hekmatyar was welcomed back to Afghanistan by government.

"I think organizing a big event (at the Presidential Palace) for the person who issued fatwas for our killing for 17 years, who financed destruction for 17 years, who committed anything against his country from a foreign country for 17 years, who gave lectures for more than an hour and paid no respect to martyrs of the past 17 years in Afghanistan, was a mistake," said Saleh.

During his address to guests gathered at the Presidential Palace, organized in his honor, Hekmatyar called the Taliban “brothers” and asked them to join the peace process.

He said the group has returned without any conditions and wants to end the war which “only sacrifices Afghans and only destroys Afghan homes”.

He also offered his services to the Taliban and said he would act as their mediator in talks with the Afghan government.

Hizb-e-Islami’s Weapons Stockpile Still A Mystery

Members of the public and MPs raised serious concerns last week when hundreds of heavily armed men escorted Gulbuddin Hekmatyar back to Kabul.

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While the fate of Hizb-e-Islami (HIA) fighters remains uncertain, the ministry of defense (MoD) said on Saturday that they were also unsure of the exact number of weapons owned by the group and its members but that all political parties need to hand in their munitions. 

“I don’t know how many weapons and which weapons are with them [Hizb-e-Islami members]. These things would have been mentioned in their [Hizb-e-Islami’s] agreement with government. They would have reached an agreement in this respect and they will act upon it,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.

The presence of hundreds of heavily armed men accompanying the Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s convoy to Kabul nine days ago sparked major concern among the people and MPs.

Meanwhile, Hizb-e-Islami members last week announced that they have named 3,500 members of the group to be deployed in the security agencies.

“I think we will not need to have an individual army. Our security forces are at the service of those who live in areas under government’s control and these forces have the responsibility to ensure the safety of the people,” said MP Abdul Hafiz Mansour.

A number of Kabul residents meanwhile called on government to collect the weapons from Hizb-e-Islami members and other individuals and parties.

“Those opposition groups that join government should lay down their weapons,” said Mustafa, a resident of Kabul.

“Their [Hizb-e-Islami’s] peace deal with government will not be useful if they refuse to surrender their weapons. It will increase the chaos,” Abdul Wazir, another resident of Kabul.

The Hizb-e-Islami members however have said that they will not lay down their weapons but in turn they will not use them against government.

A spokesman for the group has argued that no one can ensure the safety of the group’s fighters therefore they should remain armed. 

This comes after Hekmatyar signed a peace agreement late last year with government. Nine days ago, Hekmatyar returned to Kabul, for the first time in about 20 years. 

The return of the group’s leader was met with mixed reaction. Some sectors welcomed his return while others were not so welcoming. 

On Friday, the state minister for reforms in the security sector, Amrullah Saleh, said he was not against the peace process, but he was opposed to the way Hekmatyar was welcomed back to Afghanistan by government.

"I think organizing a big event (at the Presidential Palace) for the person who issued fatwas for our killing for 17 years, who financed destruction for 17 years, who committed anything against his country from a foreign country for 17 years, who gave lectures for more than an hour and paid no respect to martyrs of the past 17 years in Afghanistan, was a mistake," said Saleh.

During his address to guests gathered at the Presidential Palace, organized in his honor, Hekmatyar called the Taliban “brothers” and asked them to join the peace process.

He said the group has returned without any conditions and wants to end the war which “only sacrifices Afghans and only destroys Afghan homes”.

He also offered his services to the Taliban and said he would act as their mediator in talks with the Afghan government.

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