KABUL, January 12 (Sputnik) – The United States should work to ensure that airstrikes conducted in Afghanistan are done so in a controlled manner to avoid violating the February peace deal reached with the Taliban, also known as the Doha agreement, Taliban* spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Sputnik in an interview.
Since the deal was signed, the Taliban on multiple occasions has accused the US of violating the Doha peace accord. Back in December, the insurgent organisation claimed that US airstrikes in Kandahar province caused the deaths of 12 civilians, and Mujahid said that the Taliban have made their demands clear to their US counterparts.
In this Sept. 12, 2020, file photo, Taliban negotiator Abbas Stanikzai, center front, and his delegation attend the opening session of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, in Doha, Qatar. Afghanistan’s Taliban on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, welcomed a tweet from President Donald Trump in which he promised to have the last of the U.S.’s troops out of Afghanistan by Christmas. If that withdrawal happens, it would be months ahead of schedule and the tweet made no reference to a Taliban promise to fight terrorist groups — a previous pre-requisite for an American withdrawal.
The insurgent organisation stands ready to hold consultations with Washington to discuss the US military operation in Afghanistan, Mujahid added.
At the same time, he reiterated the group’s commitment to the accord with Washington.
According to Mujahid, the Taliban will continue to monitor the implementation of the agreement, which he said was in the interests of both sides.
He also noted that the upcoming inauguration of Joe Biden as US President is unlikely to result in the United States’ withdrawal from the Doha peace agreement.
Afghan security forces arrive after a powerful explosion outside the provincial police headquarters in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, July 18, 2019.
The United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal on 29 February 2020 in the Qatari capital that paved the way for the beginning of intra-Afghan talks this past September upon the conclusion of a prisoner exchange process. The deal also established the framework for the gradual withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan should the Taliban deliver on security guarantees.
However, both sides have accused one another of failing to abide by the terms of the deal. American officials have demanded the Taliban work to stop violence in Afghanistan at the same time as the radical movement has slammed US airstrikes that have resulted in civilian casualties.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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