As efforts for the Afghan peace process have been accelerated recently, the Afghan Minister of Defense Tariq Shah Bahrami said Friday that insurgent groups, mainly the Taliban, are trying to intensify the war to destabilize more areas in the country. 

Bahrami said the Afghan security forces support efforts for peace and in the meantime they will increase operations against insurgent groups to address their threats. 

Bahrami said those insurgent groups who refuse to join the Afghan peace process, will be suppressed by the Afghan security and defense forces. 

“Currently, they are trying to challenge the peace process. They have had a series of military movements across the country, but the brave Afghan security and defense forces launched good operations,” said Bahrami. 

A number lawmakers meanwhile said Afghanistan is a sensitive situation and that government should properly manage the war and the peace process. 

“Afghan people and government have to defend the country and the people,” MP Mohammad Abdu said. 

Japanese ambassador to Afghanistan Mitsuji Suzuka meanwhile said his country welcomes an Afghan-led peace process. 

“I hope the Afghan nation in cooperation with government will move forward the important peace issue,” said Suzuka. 

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday visited Kabul and met with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah where he briefed government leaders over his regional visit on the Afghan peace.