Taliban 'open letter' urges US to honour Doha agreement

(Karachi) In an open letter, the Taliban has called on the United States to honour the Doha agreement regarding the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, Arab News reported.

As per details, the Taliban published the letter the other day urging the US to fully implement the Doha accords, including the withdrawal of all international troops and personnel, saying it had committed to its side of the deal.

The letter, signed by the Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, warned that the group would not allow anyone to interfere in Afghanistan’s affairs.

The Taliban stated in the letter, “Now that a year has passed since the signing of the Doha agreement, we urge the American side to remain committed to the full implementation of this accord.”

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not interfere in the internal affairs of others, neither does it want to harm others, nor will it allow anyone else to interfere in our own affairs. Defending our land and people is our legitimate right,” the letter mentioned.

In the Doha agreement, the Taliban committed to peace talks with the Afghan government and to significantly reduce violence.

In return, the US pledged to withdraw all international troops by April this year. However, violent conflict has continued in Afghanistan.

The new US administration under President Joe Biden is reviewing the agreement signed with the Taliban in February 2020, which aimed at ending the conflict in Afghanistan.

In February 2020, a deal was reached between the United States and the Taliban in which it was agreed that 5,000 Taliban prisoners will be released from Afghan prisons before peace talks between the militant group and the government.

Later, the Loya Jirga, which was attended by more than 3,000 elders, community leaders and politicians, stated that intra-Afghan peace talks should begin immediately. It said that foreign prisoners, if any, should be handed over to their respective nations after receiving credible guarantees from their governments.

The jirga also decided that the freed prisoners should not return to the battlefield while permanent ceasefire should be imposed.

On August 10, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani issued a decree to release the final batch of prisoners demanded by the Taliban as a condition to move to peace talks.