Civil war devastated Afghans more than the Soviet invasion, says Fitrat

The civil war inflicted greater harm on the people of Afghanistan than the Soviet invasion, Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of the Army Staff of the Islamic Emirate, said on Monday

“The Soviet Red Army invasion did not make the Afghan people as miserable as the civil wars and power struggles made,” he said at a ceremony marking the 33rd anniversary of the mujahideen’s victory against the former Soviet-backed regime.

Fitrat warned that if someone is thinking of occupying Afghanistan using those who have fled the country, the Afghan people are ready to fight against them even if takes thousands of years.

“No matter how they impose war on the people of Afghanistan, the people have the courage and heroism,” he said. “Their honor will never allow them to be controlled by someone else. They will fight against them. They have fought for four and a half decades and are ready to fight for thousands more. If anyone thinks of occupying our country, they will fight against them.”

Acting Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Alhaji Mullah Noorullah Noori also stressed that Afghanistan will soon will compete with other countries in political, economic and security sectors.

“The day will come when Afghanistan will compete with the world’s major countries in every field, politically, economically, security,” he said.

Acting Minister of Information and Culture Khairullah Khairkhwa called on the officials of the Islamic Emirate to refrain from “power worship,” warning that it would lead to the collapse of the government.

“If, God forbid, we revive the past and there is power worship here again and we try to increase our influence, the regime will collapse and the people will become divided,” he said.

At the ceremony, the Chief of Staff of Army also stressed the dignified return of refugees from neighboring countries, adding that humiliating them is unacceptable for the Islamic Emirate.