Persuasion of Taliban to Save Ancient Statues Fails: U.N. Envoy

The United Nations' special envoy Pierre La France Monday admitted that he failed to convince Afghan ruling Taliban authorities to refrain from destroying the ancient Buddhist statues in the country.

"I was not able to persuade them. There are faint hopes that Taliban will save the Buddhist statues," the envoy said in Islamabad upon arrival from Afghanistan where he held talks with Taliban officials

He added that he had left certain number of ideas with the Taliban Foreign Minister, Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil who promised to convey them to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban supreme leader.

According to Taliban officials, destruction of those cultural heritages is in full swing with a large portion of the noted colossal Buddhas in central Bamiyan province already wrecked. And the whole process will be completed in a couple of days.






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