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NATO forces plan to remain in Afghanistan beyond the deadline set in the Doha Agreement, and the “Taliban” movement warns of “repercussions.”
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NATO forces intend to expand their presence in Afghanistan
Four NATO officials said that “international forces intend to remain in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline,” which was agreed between the Taliban and the United States.
One official told Reuters that “there will not be a complete withdrawal by the allies by the end of April,” adding that “conditions have not been met … and in the presence of the new US administration, there will be policy adjustments.” the hasty withdrawal trend prevailed, and we could see a more calculated exit strategy. “
The government of former US President Donald Trump signed an agreement with the “Taliban” at the beginning of last year, calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces by next May.
“No member of NATO wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary, but first we made it clear that our presence is conditional,” said Oana Longesco, a spokeswoman for the alliance, noting that “the allies are still discussing the situation in general and consulting on the way forward. “
“The alliance has not made any decisions,” he added, adding that “it is not possible to anticipate a meeting of defense ministers of NATO member states in February.”
The administration of US President Joe Biden began reviewing the “peace agreement” that Trump concluded with the “Taliban” movement.
A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said: “The Taliban did not fulfill their obligations, but Washington remained committed to the process and did not decide on future troop levels,” as he put it.
A State Department representative said Biden was committed “to ending a sense of responsibility for endless wars … as well as protecting Americans from terrorists and other threats.”
On the other hand, two Taliban sources told Reuters that the movement had become “increasingly concerned” in recent weeks about the possibility that Washington would change the terms of the agreement and keep forces in Afghanistan after May.
A Taliban leader in Doha said: “We clarified our concerns, but we were assured that we would respect the Doha agreement and implement it. What is happening on the ground in Afghanistan indicates something else. So we decided to send our delegations to our allies.” .
A delegation from “Taliban” visited Iran and Russia last week, and the leader mentioned that the movement was in contact with China.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif received a delegation from the movement led by Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar, to discuss a political solution to the Afghan crisis.
“Taliban” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the militants were still committed to the peace process. He added that “there is no doubt that if the Doha agreement is not implemented, there will be repercussions and the blame will fall on the party that does not respect the agreement.”
He continued: “Our expectations are also that NATO considers ending this war and avoiding any more excuses to prolong the war in Afghanistan.”
A senior European diplomat said the meeting of NATO defense ministers, scheduled for February 17-18, would be “an opportunity for the alliance that has gained strength to shape the process.”
He added: “In the presence of the new administration, there will be an outcome based on increased cooperation, and the NATO countries will have a voice.”
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