| A breakaway faction of a radical Islamic group linked to guerrilla attacks in eastern and central Afghanistan said on Sunday it wanted peace and to play a role in the US-backed government in Kabul. âWe abhor violence and understand that it will not serve to rehabilitate Afghanistan,â Khalid Farooqi, head of the radical Hazb-i-Islamiâs âdecision-making bodyâ, told a news conference after meeting President Hamid Karzai at the presidential palace. Farooqi said Hazb-i-Islami had cut all ties with its past leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former prime minister identified as a âterroristâ last year by Washington, and had thrown its full support behind the governmentâs reforms. |