Taliban intensify attacks despite US deal: Afghan government

A blame game is underway between the Afghan government and the Taliban militant group on the rise of civilian deaths in recent violence across the country.

The government says, at least 66 civilians were killed or wounded by Taliban during the first week of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. 

The Afghan government wants the Taliban to stop violence and says the militant group doesn’t need to rely on a deal with any foreign player to stop killings in the country. Some officials in Kabul say, despite signing a deal with the US recently, the Taliban need to take decision based on the interest of their own country.

This comes as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last week released a report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan this year.

According to the UN report, over 1200 civilians were killed or wounded in the first quarter of 2020.

The Pentagon also admitted recently that the violence is unacceptably high, saying the US led coalition has continued its attacks against the militants. Under the Washington-Taliban deal, the militants agreed to halt their attacks in return for the gradual US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The group, however, accuses Washington of failing to honor the agreement.

Official data shows that Taliban bombings and other assaults have increased by 70-percent since the militant group inked a peace deal with the US in February. That has prompted the Afghan government to call on the US to stop turning a blind eye to the rise in Taliban attacks and put pressure on the group to approve a ceasefire.