The Taliban has shared a list of 50 attacks conducted by the US and Afghan forces following the US-Taliban peace deal in late February, accusing the US of violating terms of the deal and thus adding another layer of complication to the already hindered peace process.
Sharing a three-page document exclusively with TOLOnews, the Taliban political office in Doha claims 33 drone attacks and airstrikes were carried out against Taliban targets in 19 provinces from March 9 to April 10.
Additionally, the list includes nine attacks involving rockets and mortar shelling, and eight night-raids.
The Taliban says in the document they have lost 35 of their fighters in 17 of the incidents, and they blame foreign forces for killing 65 civilians in 33 incidents.
According to the Taliban paper, 12 attacks have occurred in Zabul, five in Maidan Wardak, four in Kunduz, four in Kandahar, three in Helmand, three in Kapisa, three in Laghman, three in Badakhshan, two in Uruzgan and two in Farah.
The provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Ghazni, Logar, Badghis, Jawzjan, Baghlan, Takhar and Nangarhar have witnessed one attack each, according to the document.
It’s the first time that the Taliban have provided numbers to back their claims that the US has violated the agreement.
The US-Taliban deal is facing multiple challenges including a delayed and contentious prisoner release, as well as a delay in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, which was scheduled in the agreement to start on March 10.
Reacting to the Taliban claims, the top US general in Afghanistan, Gen Scott Miller, has told TOLOnews in a statement that “All sides, but especially the Taliban, must reduce violence to allow the political process to take hold.”
His spokesman Col Sonny Leggett elaborates that the United States “remains committed” to the deal with the Taliban, adding that the “U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, in accordance with the written terms of the agreement, continue to support and defend the Afghan Security Forces.”
Last week, TOLOnews reported that the Taliban carried out 2,162 attacks following the one-week reduction in violence (RIV) that started on February 22 and led to the signing of a peace agreement between the US and the Taliban.
The Afghan and NATO forces have conducted 425 attacks against the Taliban post RIV period.
“We are ‘active defensive’ for the past few weeks to give the peace process a chance,” Afghan Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid tells TOLOnews. “We are still hoping that we move to a full ceasefire as soon as possible, but the Afghan forces are fully prepared to defend themselves and the people.”
The Taliban have also questioned some of the 361 released prisoners, calling them “unidentified.” The Afghan government, according to sources, also says that from the 60 released prisoners by the Taliban, there are only 17 members of the Afghan forces.
Based on the agreement, the two sides should not attack each other’s bases and military facilities in Afghanistan, and the Taliban should not allow other militant groups to operate in areas under their influence.
Gen Miller traveled to Doha last week to discuss the reduction in violence with the Taliban, and the Taliban have shared their concerns about these attacks with him.
There are disagreements between the US the Taliban on the nature of the attacks and the reasons why these attacks have happened. According to sources, the US and the Taliban are discussing every single incident through their military channel to examine the reason behind each incident.
