In the spike of a surge of violence in Afghanistan, on April 7, the Taliban have targeted the Kandahar Airfield and the U.S. military installations, as two sides breach the Doha accord.
Amid the Taliban’s ongoing attacks, the U.S. Department of Defense has called on the Taliban to “reduce their violence”. Meanwhile, the Taliban said that the U.S. is not committed to the Doha agreement targeting their fighters and civilians, the agreement has been inked a year ago between the Taliban and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Reportedly the Taliban fired dozen of rockets at Kandahar Airfield, where the U.S military installations are located, the rockets were landed on Kandahar airport and adjacent areas, according to eyewitnesses, causing financial losses to U.S’s bases in the area, the Pentagon has condemned the attacks.
Following the Taliban attacks, the Pentagon said in its statement that the Taliban are escalating violence that could damage the peace agreement. John. F. Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman said, Kandahar has served as a key airfield for U.S. forces and has been the HQ of Train, Advise, Assist Command-South, with American and NATO forces based on the installation.
“We always have the right of self-defense for our troops,” Kirby said. As now looks that the U.S. undertakes on supporting peaceful solutions to the decades-long conflict, Kirby added that” our focus right now is on supporting a diplomatic process here to try to bring this war to a negotiated end with enduring peace.”
It has to believe that for president Joe Biden would be difficult as he himself said to wrap up Afghanistan’s mission by Mary 1 deadline, he expressed on his first press conference that the U.S. is in discussion with allies about the timeline. At the same time, White House spokesman Jen Psaki said on April 6 that president Joe Biden’s view has “consistently” been to end the war in Afghanistan, with heavy casualties, particularly to Afghans.
The Taliban in its statement claimed responsibility for the attacks, which said that in retaliation of civilians casualties that recently took place in Khost province, as a result of night-raid, at least 15 noncombat were killed or wounded by CIA-back Afghan militias known as the elite Khost Provincial Force (KPF). the estimated number of KPF has to be around 4,000 fighters quoted by AFP.
Afghans themselves see the Turkey International Conference with key regional players as the best opportunity, which supposed to be held in April as goodwill to end the protracted war in Afghanistan.” We want the peace which is acceptable for all involved parties in ongoing violence,” Said Noorullah Noori, a resident of Kabul city.