Defence ministers from the Washington-backed allies are to meet subsequent week to talk about whether or not NATO’s 10,000-strong mission — largely finishing up help roles — ought to keep or go, as Taliban violence rages.
“Our message to the upcoming NATO ministerial assembly is that the continuation of occupation and struggle is neither in your curiosity nor in the curiosity of your and our individuals,” the Taliban stated in an announcement.
“Anyone searching for extension of wars and occupation might be held accountable for it similar to the earlier 20 years.”
Former US president Donald Trump struck a deal with the Taliban final yr below which the United States agreed international troops would go away Afghanistan by May 2021 in return for circumstances together with chopping ties with Al-Qaeda and opening peace talks with the Kabul authorities.
Joe Biden’s administration has stated it might evaluate the deal, with the Pentagon accusing the Afghan rebel group of not assembly their dedication to cut back violence.
The Taliban in flip has accused the US of breaching the settlement and insisted it can proceed its “combat and jihad” if international troops don’t go away by May.
In his closing days in workplace Trump unilaterally diminished US forces in Afghanistan to simply 2,500 — the bottom for the reason that begin of the struggle in 2001.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly insisted that NATO members should resolve “collectively” on the way forward for their mission and he hopes Biden will coordinate extra carefully with allies.
“If we resolve to go away we danger to jeopardise the peace course of, we danger to lose the good points now we have made in the combat towards worldwide terrorism during the last years,” the NATO chief stated earlier this month.
“If we resolve to keep we danger to proceed to be in a troublesome navy operation in Afghanistan and we danger elevated violence additionally towards NATO troops.”
The Taliban on Saturday stated it was “critically dedicated” to the US deal, claiming it had “considerably decreased the extent of operations”.
Insurgents have launched a string of offensives threatening a minimum of two strategic provincial capitals in southern Afghanistan in current months.
They have additionally been blamed by the US and the Afghan authorities for a wave of assassinations on journalists, politicians, judges and activists.
The warring sides launched peace talks in September yr, however progress has been gradual and overshadowed by the violence.
