Reactions over Taliban attacks & impacts on peace process

KABUL (Agencies): Taliban attack on US forces in Bagram has been followed by reactions of US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who considered the attack as disgusting and terrorist. “My heartfelt prayers to the families of the Americans killed near Bagram. I condemn this disgusting terrorist act.

U.S. service members have sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan to keep us safe and no cowardly act of terror will impede our efforts to achieve peace,” US secretary of state tweeted. Meanwhile, Afghan experts believe that hidden hands are behind the attack on US forces in Bagram and are trying to sabotage the Afghan peace process amid increasing of efforts which are underway between US officials and representatives of the Taliban group. Head of defense committee of Lower House of parliament Nesar Ahmad Ghoryani by pointing to the Taliban attack on US forces in Bagram said the attack might put negative impacts on the ongoing peace process.

“Taliban are making effort to get further concessions in ongoing peace talks. If US administration seriously reacts over the recent attack on US forces in Bagram, the ongoing peace talks might be affected,” Ghoryani added. US deputy ambassador to Kabul had said that such attacks would not impede their efforts in connection with counter terrorism and maintaining peace in Afghanistan, adding that counter terrorism effort would continue. Three American service members and a U.S. contractor were killed when their convoy hit a roadside bomb on Monday near the main U.S. base in Afghanistan.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The U.S. and NATO Resolute Support mission said the four Americans were killed near the Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, while three others were wounded in the explosion. The base in Bagram district is located in northern Parwan province and serves as the main U.S. air facility in the country.

The wounded were evacuated and are receiving medical care, the statement said. It added that in accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the names of service members killed in action were being withheld until after the notification of next of kin. Monday’s U.S. fatalities bring to seven the number of U.S. soldiers killed so far this year in Afghanistan, underscoring the difficulties in bringing peace to the war-wrecked country even as Washington has stepped up efforts to find a way to end the 17-year war, America’s longest. The recent attack of the Taliban came amid of increasing of peace efforts being made in national and international level. US wants to end the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

Taliban had previously stressed that they would continue their struggles against US troops and Afghan forces simultaneously peace talks with US officials.