KABUL: (NewsPulse\/Afgan media) After months of dispute Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal on Sunday,<\/p>\n
ending a bitter months-long feud that plunged the country into a political crisis.<\/p>\n
The breakthrough, which sees Abdullah heading peace talks with the Taliban, comes as Afghanistan battles a rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus and surging militant violence that saw dozens killed in brutal attacks last week.<\/p>\n
“Doctor Abdullah Abdullah will lead the National Reconciliation High Commission and members of his team will be included in the cabinet,” Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for Ghani, wrote on Twitter.<\/p>\n
Abdullah s spokesman, Fraidoon Khawzoon told Media the agreement ensures Abdullah s group gets 50 percent of the cabinet and other provincial governors posts.<\/p>\n
President Asharaf Ghani said it was a “historic day” for Afghanistan and that the agreement was reached without any international mediation.<\/p>\n
“We will share the burden and our shoulders, God willing, will be lighter,” he said, addressing Abdullah at the signing ceremony broadcast on a state-run television channel.<\/p>\n
“In the days ahead, we hope that with unity and cooperation, we would be able to first pave the ground for a ceasefire and then lasting peace.”<\/p>\n
Abdullah Abdullah said the deal commits to forming a “more inclusive, accountable and competent administration”.<\/p>\n
“It meant to ensure a path to peace, improve governance, protect rights, respect laws and values, he said on Twitter after signing the deal.<\/p>\n
NATO, which maintains a training mission in Afghanistan, hailed the agreement and urged Afghan leaders and the Taliban to work for peace.<\/p>\n
“We call on the Taliban to live up to their commitments, reduce violence now, take part in intra-Afghan negotiations, and make a real compromise for lasting peace,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The agreement further says that President Ashraf Ghani will make Abdul Rasheed Dostum, his former vice president turned ally of Abdullah, a marshal of the armed forces.<\/p>\n
Rasheed Dostum, a notorious former warlord, is accused of ordering the torture and rape of a political rival in 2016.
\nThe agreement names Abdullah to lead future peace talks with the Taliban, who have already signed a landmark accord with Washington to pave the way for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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