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Taliban Orders Resumption Of Attacks On Afghan Forces; Ghani Non-Committal On Prisoner Swap

NEW DELHI: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Two days after the U.S. and the Taliban signed a peace deal, the latter reportedly announced that the weeklong reduction of violence is over and operations against government forces will resume.

A letter allegedly from the Taliban leadership says “that as per the U.S.-Taliban agreement, our mujahideen will not attack foreign forces but our operations will continue against the Kabul administration forces”.

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Despite the reported announcement, the U.S. remains confident. In an interview to ‘Special Report’, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “Just watch what really happens. Pay less attention to statements, pay less attention to things people say. Watch what happens on the ground. There’s been a lot of work done at detailed levels about how this will proceed”.

There is another roadblock to progress in the next step: intra-Afghan talks. A day after the U.S. and the Taliban signed the deal, President Ghani appeared at a press conference—for the second time in his five-year term—and said “there is no commitment on the release of the 5,000 prisoners” of the Taliban. The Taliban responded quickly. Top negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said:“If the prisoners are not released on time then the intra-Afghan talks will be delayed,” adding that “the U.S. has guaranteed to free the prisoners.”