Taliban attacks surge after US-Taliban deal for bringing peace in Afghanistan

The Taliban militants have carried out more than 4500 attacks, shows a keen escalation in violence, after the US-Taliban which was signed on 29 February in Qatar, Reuters reported.

According to the report, the Taliban attacks increased by more than 70 percent between March 1 and April 15 compared with the same period a year ago, leaving hundreds of Afghan forces killed.

Afghan government data seen by Reuters indicates that more than 900 Afghan local and national forces were killed during that same period, up from about 520 a year earlier. 

Meanwhile, Taliban casualties fell to 610 in the period, down from roughly 1,660 a year ago, as U.S. and Afghan forces have reduced the number of offensive attacks and airstrikes following the U.S.-Taliban accord, the report said.

Citing Senior Western, Afghan, and independent officials Reuters said that the increase in Taliban attacks shows the insurgent group’s willful disregard of a pledge to reduce violence made as part of the accord signed in late February. 

 “Taliban fighters are not hitting large government centers or cities, they are focusing on villages in Herat, Kabul, Kandahar and Balkh provinces that have reported the highest number of coronavirus cases,” a senior Western security official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. 

Meanwhile, two Taliban spokesman said the group was not responsible for a majority of the attacks in recent weeks, accusing the US of jeopardizing the peace deal by supporting Afghan security forces and not releasing 5,000 Taliban prisoners as part of a prisoner swap stipulated under the accord.

The Taliban told Reuters that the group’s attacks between the start of March and April 15 fell 54.7% compared with a year ago to 537.

The group said its attacks were not “as intense” compared with the previous year and Afghan security forces members killed fell 54.2% to 935 while the number wounded fell 55.9% to 742.

On Friday, clashes between Taliban fighters and Afghan forces intensified in northern Balkh and southern Logar province as warring sides fought to control checkpoints. Dozens of Afghan security men and Taliban fighters were killed.