The Taliban have again accused the United States on Monday of violating the historic peace agreement signed on February 29, 2020 with its latest bombardments against insurgent positions in the Afghan provinces of Helmand (south) and Nangarhar (east), in the eve of the start of the new round of contacts between the group and the Government of Afghanistan.
“US forces have carried out repeated bombardments against the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate in Nangarhar and Helmand in recent days,” denounced the group’s spokesman, Zabihulá Mujahid, who stressed that Afghan forces have launched operations in Kandahar “with American air support. “
Thus, he has stated in a statement published through the official Taliban website that “these bombings have been carried out in non-military areas”, in what he has described as “recurrent violations” by Washington.
Mujahid has also pointed out that this takes place after the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, stated that “no US military has died in Afghanistan for almost a year”, which the Taliban consider “a recognition of the commitment of the Islamic Emirate with the Doha agreement “.
“The Islamic Emirate again warns that if the bombing and operations in Kandahar are not stopped immediately or if the bombing and operations continue against the Mujahideen, in violation of the annexes to the agreement, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate will be forced to respond. seriously, “he said. All the responsibility will fall on the American shoulders “, has settled.
The Taliban have repeatedly accused the United States of violating the agreement with their bombings, although Washington has defended at all times that it is respecting the pact and that it only acts in defense of the Afghan security forces, which is contemplated in the document.
The Central Asian country has been plunged into a rebound in violence in recent months despite the agreement between the Taliban and the United States and the peace talks between the group and the Afghan government, which will resume this Tuesday in the capital. from Qatar.
In this context, at least two policemen have died early Monday after a bomb exploded in the city of Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province, according to the provincial governor’s office. The target was a police vehicle, as reported by the Afghan television channel Ariana.
On the other hand, a member of the security forces has been injured in the explosion of a bomb while his vehicle passed in the capital, Kabul. At the moment no group has claimed responsibility for these two attacks.
The Afghan authorities have also accused the Taliban of violating the agreement on the release of 5,000 insurgents in the face of the talks and have highlighted that one of them has died in combat during the last days in Nangarhar.
The release agreement, which paved the way for the peace talks and was demanded by the Taliban as a preliminary step for them – given that it was included as part of the agreement with the United States – states that the released prisoners committed to no longer participate in armed operations.
