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News > Country

US Military Launches Airstrike Against Taliban After Peace Deal

  • Afghan security officials patrol in Helmand, Afghanistan, March 04, 2020.

    Afghan security officials patrol in Helmand, Afghanistan, March 04, 2020. | Photo: EFE

Published 4 March 2020
Opinion

Just a few hours before, however, President Trump said the relationship with the Taliban leader was "very good."

The U.S. Military Wednesday bombed Taliban fighters supposedly to protect the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). This unexpected military action occurred just four days after the U.S. government signed a peace agreement with the insurgents.

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The U.S. and the Taliban Sign a Peace Agreement

“The U.S. conducted an airstrike on March 4 against Taliban fighters in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand, who were actively attacking an ANDSF checkpoint. This was a defensive strike to disrupt the attack,” U.S. Forces - Afghanistan (USFOR-A) spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett tweeted.

"Taliban leaders promised the international community that they would reduce violence and not increase attacks... As we have shown, we will defend our partners when necessary," he added.

The USFOR-A Spokesman, however, posted a new tweet with a seemingly more relaxed message stating that "to be clear, we are committed to peace.”

The airstrike occurred after President Donald Trump said he had a "good conversation" with the Taliban leader Ghani Baradar, in which they agreed that "there will be no violence" after the signing of the agreement.

The agreement signed on Saturday provides for the phased withdrawal of U.S. troops in 14 months and the Taliban's commitment not to allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries.​​​​​​

The Taliban blamed the Afghan government for this increase in violence, referring to the comments of Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani regarding the release of Taliban prisoners.

On Sunday, Ghani said his government did not promise to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners, which is something that had been agreed with the U.S., according to the insurgents.

The Afghan administration has said that the release of the prisoners can be discussed in the talks that the Taliban and the Government should carry out.

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