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Kabul:
The United States stated its landmark take care of the Taliban has entered the “next phase” whereas urging the militants to cut back rising violence even because the insurgents accused US forces of violating the accord Tuesday.
The two sides signed an settlement in February that noticed Washington pledge to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the center of subsequent 12 months, in return for the insurgents promising to carry negotiations with the Afghan authorities to finish the long-running battle.
Under part one, the US stated it could cut back troops to eight,600 inside 135 days, whereas fully eradicating forces from 5 navy bases.
On the 135th day, US particular consultant on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated the deal for Washington, tweeted that either side had reached a “key milestone”.
“The US has worked hard to carry out 1st phase of its commitments under the agreement, including to reduce troops & depart five bases,” he stated Monday.
As the deal entered its “next phase”, Washington’s strategy could be based mostly on sure situations, Khalilzad warned.
“We will press for completion of prisoner releases, reduction of violence… & start of & progress in intra-Afghan negotiations,” he stated.
The Taliban on Tuesday welcomed the lower in US forces, however claimed that American troops had steadily carried out bombings in non-combat zones and “offensives” in assist of the Kabul authorities.
It additionally accused US pilots of finishing up air strikes in opposition to civilians, the Taliban and public infrastructure up to now 10 days.
“These all are blatant violations of the agreement and deliberate attempt at provoking the mujahideen towards large-scale attacks,” the Taliban stated.
“Violence has been high”
Since the deal, the Taliban have stepped up assaults killing a whole lot, officers say.
Khalilzad condemned the assaults, saying “large numbers” of Afghans continued to die with no cause, whereas acknowledging that no American had been killed because the deal.
“Violence has been high, especially in recent days and weeks,” Khalilzad stated, condemning a Taliban assault on Monday on a rural workplace of Afghanistan’s intelligence company that killed 11 safety personnel.
“The Taliban’s attack… contradicts their commitment to reduce violence until a permanent ceasefire is reached in intra-Afghan talks.”
Washington’s prime diplomat in Kabul, Ross Wilson, additionally slammed the Taliban for Monday’s assault within the northern metropolis of Aybak.
“This attack in a provincial capital is an escalation that violates the understanding in our agreement with the Taliban to reduce violence and minimize civilian casualties,” he wrote on Twitter.
Afghanistan’s intelligence company warned of “retaliatory attacks” in opposition to the Taliban and stated they weren’t fulfilling their obligations beneath the US deal.
“The group plans and carries out attacks with the cooperation of foreign terrorist groups, including the Al-Qaeda network,” the National Directorate of Security stated on Tuesday.
Under the US-Taliban deal, the insurgents agreed to cease Al-Qaeda from utilizing Afghanistan as a secure haven to plot assaults.
But within the months since, the Taliban have continued to work with Al-Qaeda within the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a Pentagon report stated earlier this month.
“Civilian casualties”
US President Donald Trump, who’s working for re-election in November, has stated repeatedly that he desires to finish America’s longest struggle as quickly as doable.
Peace talks between the Taliban and Kabul hinge on a nearly-completed prisoner alternate agreed within the take care of US.
The authorities has up to now launched greater than 4,000 Taliban inmates, whereas the insurgents have freed greater than 600 Afghan safety personnel.
Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission, in the meantime, stated in a report on Tuesday that within the first six months of this 12 months, 1,213 civilians had been killed and one other 1,744 wounded in 880 incidents throughout the nation.
It stated the figures confirmed a drop of 11 p.c as in comparison with the primary half of 2019.
The Taliban accounted for 48.5 p.c of civilian casualties, whereas 15.5 p.c had been attributed to authorities forces.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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