The leader of the Taliban militant group says it has been committed to its deal with the United States, despite being accused of carrying out hundreds of attacks in Afghanistan since it was signed in February.
In a rare message released on Wednesday, Haibatullah Akhundzada, who hails from the Talibans traditional bastion of Kandahar, urged Washington "not to waste" the opportunity offered by the deal to end Americas longest war.
The Taliban "is committed to the agreement... and urges the other side to honor its own commitments and not allow this critical opportunity to go waste," Akhundzada said.
"I urge American officials to not afford anyone the opportunity to obstruct, delay and ultimately derail this internationally recognized bilateral agreement", the Taliban leader added.
Under the Taliban-US deal signed in the Qatari capital Doha on February 29, Washington is compelled to pull out American forces and foreign troops from Afghanistan by July next year, provided that the militants start talks with Kabul and adhere to other security guarantees.
Official data shows Taliban bombings and other assaults have increased 70 percent since the militant group inked the peace deal with the US.
Afghan government officials have reported more than 3,800 attacks since it was signed, killing 420 civilians and wounding 906.
In a horrendous attack last Tuesday, three gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in Kabul, opening fire at pregnant women and newborn babies there. At least 24 people were killed and 16 others were injured before the gunmen were taken out by Afghan security forces.
Even though the Taliban said it was not responsible for that attack, a claim that the US also made, the Afghan government said the militant group was to blame.
US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who brokered the deal with the Taliban, said last week the militants had kept up their end of the bargain, even if recent violence violated the spirit of it.
"The Taliban have implemented their agreement not to attack the coalition forces," he said.
Last week, and in the face of the rising violence, President Ashraf Ghani ordered the countrys military to switch to offensive mode from a defensive one that had been adopted several months before in an attempt to save the deal between the US and the Taliban.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 shortly after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. While the invasion ended the Talibans rule in the country, it has failed to eliminate the militant group.
American forces have since remained bogged down in Afghanistan through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now, Donald Trump.
Amid the continued occupation, the Daesh terrorist group has emerged in the Asian country more recently.
About 2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with unknown numbers of Afghan troops and Taliban militants. Over 100,000 Afghans have been killed or injured since 2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.
Since the US-led invasion that ousted a Taliban regime in 2001, the US has reportedly spent more than one trillion dollars on the war in Afghanistan.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/17751
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