The Taliban on Sunday accused the United States of violating a peace agreement they signed in Doha over a month ago.
In a statement, the Taliban said that the US and its allies were violating terms of the agreement including a delay in prisoner release and attacking Taliban targets.
“We are asking the Americans to seriously comply with the contents of the agreement and to alert their allies to fully abide by the agreement,” the Taliban said in the statement.
The US-Taliban deal stipulated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners by March 10 and a reduction of US forces in Afghanistan.
The Afghan government, however, has said that their release would be conditional and gradual. It has repeatedly called on the group to agree to a ceasefire.
The Taliban said that a ceasefire could be reached as a result of intra-Afghan talks. It suggested that under the US deal, the Taliban is not bound to refrain from attacking Afghan military facilities, but still it has reduced its attacks to targeting checkpoints in villages.
US military, however, rejected Taliban’s allegation of violating Doha deal.
“USFOR-A has upheld, and continues to uphold, the military terms of the U.S.-TB agreement; any assertion otherwise is baseless. USFOR-A has been clear- we will defend our ANDSF partners if attacked, in compliance with the agreement,” said Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the US forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A).
“The TB must reduce violence. A reduction in violence is the will of the Afghan people & necessary to allow the political process to work toward a settlement suitable for all Afghans. We once again call on all parties to focus their efforts on the global pandemic of COVID-19,” he said.
