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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) aims to occupy Kabul and other provinces and has prepared plans for "large attacks" after President Ashraf Ghani ordered Afghan security forces to go on the offensive against them across Afghanistan, according to an Urdu daily.
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It appears the plan for the occupation of Kabul and key provinces was put in place immediately after the signing of the U.S.-Taliban agreement in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020. The preparations for the large attacks began the very next morning, i.e., on March 1, 2020.
The Taliban's operational commanders have sought permission from the Islamic Emirate's Military Commission for large attacks, a report in the Urdu daily Roznama Ummat said. These developments follow the May 12 attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul in which more than 20 women and infants were killed. The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed the attack. The Afghan officials have blamed the attack on the Islamic Emirate, which denied any involvement.
The Urdu daily, citing unidentified sources in the Islamic Emirate, said that the Taliban have directed their fighters to be prepared for "large attacks." It added: "If the Military Commission grants permission, then the preparations for large attacks are in place."
"As per the sources in the Military Commission, the Afghan Taliban have from March 1 until now made complete preparations and, whenever the permission is granted, the capital [Kabul] and important provinces will be occupied," the Urdu daily, which is close to the Taliban, said.
Source: Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), May 16, 2020.
