The Afghan Taliban have said that the United States (US) administration’s decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan in September is in violation of the Doha agreement, and all witnesses of the agreement should exert pressure on the US to withdraw forces without delay, as per the agreement.
US President Joe Biden announced earlier today that all US, NATO, and allied troops would be completely withdrawn from Afghanistan on September 11, the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The withdrawal process will start on May 1.
In a formal response to Biden’s announcement, the Afghan Taliban said: “This decision is a clear violation of the Doha Agreement and non-compliance with its commitments.”
The Taliban said the announcement suggests that “American officials have understood the Afghan situation to an extent and the efforts of warmongering circles have failed,” but breaches the ters of the Doha agreement by delaying the withdrawal process.
“As this agreement was signed in the presence of United Nations and representatives of numerous world countries and organisations, and is currently being breached by America, it is imperative that all countries and organisations that were witnesses to the signing of this agreement exert pressure on America to implement its commitments and withdraw all forces from Afghanistan by the specified date,” the Afghan Taliban stated.
“Despite the agreement and commitments, extending the ten-day six thousand prisoner release process to six months in the initial phase, followed by not releasing remaining prisoners in a three month period after the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, failing to terminate blacklists, committing over twelve hundred violations and finally delaying the withdrawal date of forces by several months, all make evident to the world that America cannot be trusted nor is it committed to its pledges and promises,” it added.
The Afghan Taliban urged all sides to acknowledge that “the Islamic Emirate has so far complied with the agreement exceptionally well, has implemented it and considered it the sole solution to the conflict.”
“Now as the agreement is being breached by America, it in principle opens the way for the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate to take every necessary countermeasure, hence the American side will be held responsible for all future consequences, and not the Islamic Emirate,” it said.
The Afghan Taliban urged the US and all occupying countries to “stop making excuses for prolonging the war” and withdraw forces from Afghanistan immediately.
“The Islamic Emirate will under no circumstance ever relent on complete independence and establishment of a pure Islamic system, and remains committed to finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan problem following the complete and certain end of occupation,” the statement concluded.
