Afghan lawmakers urge an end to US assassination drone strikes

Afghan lawmakers have urged the government of President Hamid Karzai to put an end to the United States assassination drone strikes against the Afghan civilians, Press TV reports.

Local sources told Press TV’s correspondent in Afghanistan that the MPs, infuriated by the strikes, strongly urged President Karzai to hold a ‘Loya Jirga’ or ‘Grand Assembly’ in order to discuss the issue and find an effective solution to stop the occupying forces’ assaults against civilians.

“I want the parliament and the President himself to launch an emergency meeting to discuss the escalation of security problems in the country,” Mohammad Sharif Balkhabi, a member of parliament from Sar-e-Pul District was quoted as saying.

Another Afghan MP, Munawar Shah Bahaduri representing the western province of Herat noted, “Who will take responsibility for the bloodshed in Afghanistan? Why are we, the parliament and the government careless?”

Angry with the inaction of the government, Bahaduri added, “We must find a final solution for these issues through a Loya Jirga. The government holds Loya Jirgas for its personal benefits but when national interests are raised, it keeps quiet.”

The aerial attacks were initiated by former US President George W. Bush but have been escalated under current President Barack Obama.

The US military has also used terror drones in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Libya, and Iraq.

Though Washington claims that its drone strikes target militants, local sources say that civilians have been the main victims of the attacks. The UN has called the US drone attacks targeted killings that flout international law.

The Afghan lawmakers also expressed their grave concerns over the latest intensification of militancy in the country which has so far led to even more loss of lives.

The MP’s argue that a large number of people are getting killed on a daily basis by the Taliban militants in spite of the heavy presence of more than 130,000 US-led occupying forces who justify their occupation of the country by the so-called ‘war on terror’ slogan.