The US and NATO forces commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, at a press briefing on Saturday said that Afghan and international forces will remain committed to their obligations during the weeklong reduction in violence (RIV), which started on Saturday. He also said he hopes the Afghans take advantage of the “opportunity.”
“Very clearly, this is a conditional effort. It is a trial period,” Miller said, speaking at a conference with acting Minister of Defense Assadullah Khalid and acting Minister of Interior Major Gen. Massoud Andarabi.
“We are very committed and very serious about our obligations,” he reiterated.
When asked if foreign forces’ operations would be reduced to zero during the reduction in violence period, Miller said: “Our operations are very defensive at this point. We have stopped our offensive operations as part of our obligations, but we remain committed in defense of our forces as well as defending with our Afghan security partners,” said Miller.
In response to a question on how attacks of the Taliban would be differentiated from other militant groups during the reduction in violence period, Gen. Miller said, “We play close attention to it.”
He added: “Obviously, as we look at all attacks or the operations that are conducted, we will take a very close look at it and make sure we have the right analysis to ensure we understand what happened– if there is miscommunication but also attribute it to different groups as well.”
“Personally, on behalf of Resolute Support, we are very committed, very serious about our obligations and we expect all sides–to include Taliban–to be very serious about the obligations as well. This is something that is largely driven by some US discussions and great consultations with the Afghan security forces and the Afghan government, but, at the same time, all of NATO is behind this effort here,” said Miller.
The top Afghan security officials said a joint cell has been established to monitor Taliban movements during the reduction in violence period.
“We are concerned that there are some groups in Afghanistan that want to disrupt the environment. Such groups exist in the region, but we are thoroughly monitoring the process,” Khalid said.
According to security officials, Afghan forces conducted at least 15 planned operations ahead of the reduction in violence period. But now they are monitoring the Taliban movements in coordination with the Resolute Support forces, according to the acting defense minister.
“We believe we have a pretty good mechanism to measure what’s happening on all sides,” Miller said. “It’s a combined effort…”
“Overall, our security forces have their orders–a joint order has been created with the Defense Ministry and the Resolute Support mission to monitor the situation closely,” Andarabi said. “All incidents that are happening will be monitored. The security forces have been clearly directed to be ready for their defense and for defending any violation.”
At 12:00 midnight (Afghan time) on Friday, Feb. 21 (the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22), a reduction in violence plan kicked off that is intended to last for seven days. Upon its successful completion, according to statements by the US and Taliban, a peace deal negotiated between the two sides over the past 18 months in Doha, will be signed.
ctation is that this signed agreement will lead to intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban on one side, and a delegation representing the Afghan republic’s government and political and civil establishment, on the other.
