UPDATE - Taliban Accuse Afghan Government Of Failing To Implement Agreed Ceasefire - Statement

KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2020) The Taliban are committed to a peace deal signed with the United States, but the Afghan government is failing to implement an agreed-upon ceasefire that will lead to the beginning of intra-Afghan talks, the organization said in a statement on Sunday.

In the statement, the Taliban said that they are prepared to negotiate with the Afghan government to reach lasting peace in the country, but cited Kabul's continued attacks on the group in the country's rural settlements and failure to release prisoners belonging to the organization. The Taliban have also stopped carrying out attacks in major cities, the group stated.

"We have not carried out attacks in major cities; only rural checkpoints have been attacked, a significant reduction compared to last year," the statement read.

The Taliban also cited alleged US violations of the peace deal, including night attacks by US and NATO forces in several locations, drone strikes and bombings on civilian settlements. The organization urged the US to implement its side of the peace deal.

Later in the day, US Afghan forces (USFOR-A) spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said that US troops were fulfilling all of their commitments in the country.

"USFOR-A has upheld, and continues to uphold, the military terms of the U.S.-TB [Taliban] agreement; any assertion otherwise is baseless. USFOR-A has been clear- we will defend our ANDSF [Afghan National Defense and Security Forces] partners if attacked, in compliance with the agreement," Leggett wrote on Twitter.

The military spokesman added that the Taliban must continue to reduce violence in Afghanistan, particularly given the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

On February 29, the US and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in the Qatari capital of Doha after a week-long commitment to reduce violence held.

The deal stated that talks between the Taliban and Afghan government would begin on March 10, although this deadline has passed due to the country's electoral crisis and both sides disagreeing on the release of Taliban prisoners.