US spokesman dismisses warning, says strikes don't violate peace deal
The February 29 Doha Agreement between the US and Taliban was meant to end the war in Afghanistan, and yet might. The deal had a number of provisions, including for the US and Taliban to not fight one another during the process.
It’s not surprising, then, that the Taliban is angry at a recent surge of US airstrikes, mostly in Helmand Province, where the Taliban was fighting the Afghan government, or airstrikes elsewhere in Afghanistan.
This is a recurring issue with the deal, as the Taliban and Afghan government have yet to reach a peace deal, and the US is using supporting the government as an excuse for strikes. Again today, spokesmen denied that they were violating the Doha Agreement with the airstrikes.
Meanwhile, the Taliban has warned of retaliation if the US attacks continue. The only apparent violence from the group came in Ghor Province, where a vehicle bombing killed 15, wounded 150, and damaged several government offices.
US strikes will probably continue to decline despite them wanting to keep doing this to push an intra-Afghan truce, because US troop cuts are continuing and there just aren’t that many to participate in attacks anymore.