Afghan president seeks defense of cities as Taliban advance

The Afghan president is blaming the American troops' speedy pullout for the intensified violence in his country

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Afghan president on Monday blamed the American troops' speedy pullout for the worsening violence in his country and said that his administration would now focus on protecting provincial capitals and major urban areas in the face of the rapidly advancing Taliban. Ashraf Ghani also urged lawmakers to back a national mobilization drive against the Taliban amid an intensifying war between the Taliban and Afghan government forces over the past few months as U.S. and NATO troops complete their pullout from the war-torn country. “An imported, hasty” peace process — a reference to Washington's push for negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban — “not only failed to bring peace but created doubt and ambiguity" among Afghans, Ghani said in his address to Parliament. The Afghan president arrived by helicopter for the extraordinary session of the house, called because of the dire situation on the ground. Ghani touched down at the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul and inspected an honor guard before heading inside.