Minister of Education Farooq Wardak has raised the ire of political analysts with claims that the recent arson of Afghan schools is not the work of the Taliban.
Wardak said Thursday that the anti-government groups operating in Afghanistan do not have any intention or aim to set schools alight, actions that Afghan officials, local residents and security organisations have usually attributed to the Taliban.
"In many cases the Afghan Taliban has not committed the arson of schools, but rather it's been done by strangers," said Wardak.
Analysts commented that his statement is dangerous, and it is not the first time that he has made such claims.
"The education minister is not the Taliban's spokesman to dismiss the school arsons," said political analyst Motiullah Kharooti.
Another analyst Yunos Fakoor said the minister is simply trying to get the Taliban on his side.
"The Minister of Education is a [possible] candidate of the President Karzai government for the future presidential election and therefore he is putting effort into getting the Taliban green light and support," he said.
The analysts also commented that such statements might be a way to encourage more support for the Taliban to support the upcoming elections in 2014.
Wardak has said that the Taliban have even cooperated to open some of the schools in the past.
Wardak has also previously stated that some of the suicide attacks are not being planned and executed by the Taliban or that other known anti-government armed groups.