Afghanistan Times
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Taliban did not uphold its commitment to free Afghan security forces inmates and reduce pointless violence
AT News
KABUL: The Taliban group has failed to live up by its commitments to free intimates of the Afghan security forces and also to reduce the pointless violence – an important aspect to facilitate the long-awaited intra-Afghan peace talks.
Kabul prefers violence reduction by the Taliban as a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan through Afghan-to-Afghan negotiations.
The Taliban did not halt the killing of the Afghans, NSC Spokesman, Javid Faisal said. In a tweet message he said, “Taliban failed to adhere to its promises of releasing one thousand Afghan security forces intimates.”
180 more Taliban prisoners were released from Afghan government custody within past days, Faisal said – 4,199 Taliban prisoners from 5,000 have so far been released.
“An escalation in the Taliban’s recent attacks has severely smashed hopes of the Afghan masses to smithereens for the start of the intra-Afghan talks and peace in the country,” Presidential Palace Spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi said on Sunday.
“Recent wave of Taliban violence in cities, attacks on the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, roadside mines and the target killing of government staffers have cracked hopes for the start of intra-Afghan talks,” he added.
Following a peace deal between the US and the Taliban, the Afghan government and the Taliban have agreed to release prisoners as a goodwill gesture to pave the ground for the start of intra-Afghan talks. However, the prisoners swap has yet to be completed.
Insulating the injury, the Taliban on Sunday rejected the call for humanitarian ceasefire and reduction in violence in Afghanistan.
“If anyone seeks ceasefire before talks then such is illogical,” Taliban Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in tweeter.
In a series of tweets, he said that war is raging precisely because we have yet to find an alternative.
Implementation of the Doha Agreement and start of intra-Afghan negotiations are necessary so we can work towards de-escalation and end of war, he added.
