The US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, on Tuesday reiterated that the Taliban should expect a response if they continue their attacks, referring to the increased Taliban-initiated fighting against the Afghan forces, especially in the last four weeks.
The US general made the remarks in a visit to the headquarters of the Afghan special operations forces along with acting Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid.
“If the Taliban continues attacks then what they should expect is a response,” Miller said. “We need them to reduce the violence and with that reduction gives our political leadership on all sides an opportunity to determine the peaceful way forward.”
Government figures reveal that at least 14 provinces have witnessed heavy battles between government forces and the Taliban over the last few weeks. Figures collected by TOLOnews indicate that at least 150 security force members have lost their lives in Taliban attacks in recent weeks.
But Khalid said the Taliban’s casualties have been “higher.”
“The enemy’s casualties are many times higher, especially from the time when we are in ‘active defensive,’” Khalid said. “We are committed to any voice on peace… We have respected the reduction in violence week but it was the Taliban who intensified violence following the reduction in violence week and increased their attacks.”
Khalid reiterated that despite the Taliban’s increased attacks, “our voice is the voice of peace and of ceasefire, especially to respect the Ramadan month and fight the COVID-19.”
The Office of the National Security Council this weekend said the Taliban has conducted an average of 55 attacks per day since the signing of the peace deal with the United States in Doha on February 29.
The ONSC spokesman Javid Faisal at a press conference said that the Taliban conducted 2,804 attacks from the beginning of March to April 19, adding the group “does not remain committed to the reconciliation process that will help the country to end decades of war.”
