KABUL (PAN): US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke on Saturday promised beginning peace talks with the Taliban and other opposition forces once the upcoming presidential and provincial elections due on August 20 are completed.

Speaking at a gathering of Afghanistan Ulema Council (AUC), Holbrooke said bringing peace to the war-devastated country was belonged to the Afghans while the US troops had only come to support them.

The former UN ambassador described the presidential and provincial council elections a significant task to be achieved this year.

"Our exclusive delegation is here to ensure free, fair and transparent elections," Holbrooke said. All the 40 nations including the US will support the elections.

He reiterated that the US would not support a particular candidate in the elections.

About peace talks, he explained, the peace process will only be led by the Afghans who wanted solution to the conflict and the international community will play a supportive role in this regard.

"International community will play a helpful role in the talks and we want the process to be led by Afghans," he maintained.

Head of the AUC Fazal Hadi Shinwari asked the US government to let the next administration push the peace process forward.

He said President Hamid Karzai had peace talks with the Taliban seven years ago, but the US government neither helped him nor supported that initiative. He also criticized the Taliban for carrying out anti-Islamic activities.

He added the Taliban were killing civilians including women, children and elders in their activities which were against Islam and Shariah.

According to him, the Taliban fighters had killed 40 religious scholars and wounded 30 others.

Expressing grave concern about the fatalities inflicted on local civilians during operations by foreign soldiers, Shinwari recalled that the forces must be careful in their raids. "Nothing can compensate the life of a civilian," he said.

He urged Holbrooke to put pressure on Afghan government for banishing corruption.

About civilian deaths in the foreign forces operations, Holbrooke said the forces have changed their war tactics as low number of civilian fatalities were seen during the ongoing operation in Helmand.

He also assured the US government would continue to support Afghan agriculture sector. "We will struggle to arrest drug traffickers and bring them to justice," he added while giving information about the new US policy on narcotics.

Holbrooke's visit to Afghanistan comes at a time when the US military is engaged in its biggest offensive in the southern Afghanistan. Over 4,000 US Marines are fighting the Taliban-led insurgency in restive southern province of Helmand.

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