KABUL (OLO News): Sources familiar with peace talks and a former Taliban member on Saturday said a reduction in violence — on which the US and the Taliban have reached an agreement — can lead to an unofficial ceasefire.
If reduction in violence plan implemented, the Taliban will refrain from launching suicide attacks in big cities and they will also abandon attacks on military and civilian installations and will not block the country’s highways, sources familiar with the matter said.
“Reduction in violence can lead to a ceasefire. The US is also satisfied that with the help of a reduction in violence, there can be a solution to the conflict in Afghanistan,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban commander. “The Taliban have also agreed that by a reduction in violence, there can be a solution to the problem in Afghanistan.”
According to the High Peace Council, the Afghan government will also abide by instructions in a so-called reduction in violence agreement.
“It means those terms discussed by the US and the Taliban, particularly about peace, war, and reduction in violence, will be followed by the Afghan government and it will act based on it,” said Din Mohammad, a member of the High Peace Council.
But the Afghan government has been blamed for not taking thorough steps to move forward the peace process and build consensus on this matter within the country.
“The government needs to take action in the view of the short period of time we have because the people want peace and ceasefire and the government is obliged to come up with a clear agenda,” said Mohammad Sadiq, an MP.
Late last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on the sideline of Munich Security Conference in Germany said the alliance will take into consideration the adjustment of troops in Afghanistan if the Taliban deliver on its commitment towards the reduction in violence plan.
According to US officials, there will be no ceasefire before the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations, however, the Taliban have committed to reducing violence so that the way is paved for the start of the talks.
The NATO chief met with President Ghani as well as US secretaries of state and defense and discussed the peace process, according to the Presidential Palace.
CNN on Saturday quoted an Afghan official familiar with the talks, saying the US has assured the Afghan president that any move by the Taliban to break the future deal will have severe consequences for the group.
“We guarantee you if they [Taliban] break [terms of deal] the US will have enough lethal power to destroy them, we are with the Afghan now and we will be with Afghanistan forever.” CNN quoted an Afghan official close to the talks, citing Ghani’s meeting with US officials.
The source says the US side told them: “Let the Taliban say whatever they want to say, let them say it from wherever they want to say it, the reality is the Taliban agreed to disassociate from al Qaeda, according to CNN.
