Afghanistan has signed a peace agreement with Hezb-i-Islami, paving the way for the armed group's commander, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, to*make a political comeback despite allegations of war crimes during the 1990s.
Government officials praised Thursday's agreement in the capital Kabul as a step towards peace, while critics said it opened the door to one of the most infamous figures in Afghanistan's civil war to play a role in the country's already divisive politics.
"I hope that this is the beginning of a permanent peace in our country," said Sayed Ahmad Gilani, head of the government's High Peace Council and one of the signatories of the agreement, according to Reuters news agency.*
The deal with the largely dormant Hezb-i-Islami marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban fighters while, at the same time, attempting to reintegrate other controversial military figures into society by granting immunity for past crimes.
Afghanistan: Hezb-i-Islami armed group signs peace deal - News from Al Jazeera
Government officials praised Thursday's agreement in the capital Kabul as a step towards peace, while critics said it opened the door to one of the most infamous figures in Afghanistan's civil war to play a role in the country's already divisive politics.
"I hope that this is the beginning of a permanent peace in our country," said Sayed Ahmad Gilani, head of the government's High Peace Council and one of the signatories of the agreement, according to Reuters news agency.*
The deal with the largely dormant Hezb-i-Islami marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban fighters while, at the same time, attempting to reintegrate other controversial military figures into society by granting immunity for past crimes.
Afghanistan: Hezb-i-Islami armed group signs peace deal - News from Al Jazeera

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