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Under a February 2020 agreement, US forces are to leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for guarantees against terrorism.
The United States will reconsider the peace deal reached with the Taliban last year, the White House said.
President Joe Biden’s new national security adviser Jake Sullivan has spoken with his Afghan counterpart Hamdullah Mohib and “made it clear the United States’ intention to review” the deal, the door said on Friday. word of National Security Council Emily Horne.
Specifically, Washington wants to verify that the Taliban “respect their commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, reduce violence in Afghanistan and engage in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan government and other stakeholders,” according to its statement. .
Sullivan “stressed that the United States will support the peace process with a strong and regional diplomatic effort, which will aim to help the two sides to reach a lasting and just political settlement and a permanent ceasefire.”
Mohib tweeted during the call, the two sides “agreed to work for a permanent ceasefire and a just and lasting peace” in the country.
Washington struck a deal with the Taliban in Qatar last year to begin the withdrawal of US troops in exchange for guarantees of security from the armed group and a pledge to launch peace talks with the Afghan government.
But violence across Afghanistan has escalated despite the two sides engaged in talks since September.
‘Honor our commitments’
Sullivan also discussed U.S. support for protecting recent progress on the rights of women and minority groups as part of the peace process.
The Taliban said they remain “committed to the deal and honor our commitments.”
“We expect the other side to remain committed to the deal as well,” Mohammad Naeem, the group’s spokesperson in Qatar, told AFP.
Washington’s move was greeted with a sigh of relief from officials in Kabul after months of speculation over how the new administration would potentially rebalance Afghan politics.
Another senior Afghan government official blasted the Taliban’s inability to abide by the February 2020 deal, saying the deal fell short of its stated goals.
“The agreement has so far failed to achieve the desired goal of ending Taliban violence and achieving a ceasefire that Afghans want,” Sediq Sediqqi, vice-president, said on Twitter. -Minister of the Interior and former spokesperson for President Ashraf Ghani.
“The Taliban have not honored their commitments.”
Analysts say the Biden administration needs a full review of the Doha deal to understand what has been agreed to on both sides.
“The Biden administration seems to be more committed to violence reduction (RIV) in Afghanistan and if you look at the deal, RIV is one of the main points of it. But we have seen an upsurge in violence, so if it is found that the Taliban have not shown their commitment to reduce violence, they will be under pressure from the new administration, ”Fahim Sadat, professor, told Al Jazeera. of international relations at Kardan University in Kabul.
Cheeky attacks
Deadly attacks and high-profile assassinations have increased in recent months, especially in Kabul where journalists, activists, judges and politicians have been murdered in brazen attacks in broad daylight.
Although Afghan and American officials blamed the Taliban for the killings, the group denied its role.
“Additionally, the Afghan government expects to work closely with the new administration to share its concerns about the US-Taliban deal where it thinks so. [former president Donald] Trump has been kind to the Taliban, ”Sadat said.
On Tuesday, Biden’s candidate for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told his Senate confirmation hearing “we want to end this so-called war forever.”
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