Moreover, despite their counter-terrorism commitments under the February agreement, the Taliban still appear to have close ties to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. In fact, a very senior al-Qaeda leader was recently killed by Afghan security forces in a Taliban-controlled district in eastern Afghanistan. The deal is the result of America`s determination to bring troops home and the recognition, at least by some Taliban, that the talks are the best way to return to Kabul. “They currently have a very fragmented country in Afghanistan, even outside of the Taliban and the central government, which are clearly at war,” says Bahar Jalali, who heads the women`s mentorship program at the American University of Afghanistan. The agreement would also contain secret annexes. Fn. 31 In particular, the agreement lacks, at least in its public form, a provision for an immediate ceasefire or a reduction in Taliban violence against the Government of Afghanistan; The only provision on such a cessation of hostilities is that a “ceasefire will be an item on the agenda of the intra-Afghan dialogue”. Footnote 32 There is also a lack of concrete implementing provisions for both parties. Footnote 33 The United States and the [Taliban] seek to establish positive relations with each other and expect relations between the United States and the new Afghan-Islamic government to be positive after settlement, as determined by intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations.
Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, speaks to the press ahead of Saturday`s signing ceremony with the United States in Qatar. In January of this year, Shadow Secretary of Defense John Healey called on the administration to work with the new Biden administration to “ensure that any withdrawal is determined by conditions on the ground and does not risk new terrorist threats.” The United States on Saturday signed an agreement with the Taliban that sets the stage for ending america`s longest war — the nearly two-decade-old conflict in Afghanistan that began after the Sept. 11 attacks, killed tens of thousands, angered three White House governments, and left all sides suspicious and uncertain. More than 1,200 miles away, at the time of the signing, another senior U.S. official, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, was in Kabul with Afghan officials to ease the Afghan government`s concerns. Together with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, they issued a statement reaffirming the United States` commitment to support the Afghan military. Afghan peace talks: The woman who negotiated with the Taliban, Mr. Ghani, said the country “looks forward to a full ceasefire.” The government said it was ready to negotiate with the Taliban. In April and May, the issue of prisoner release remained a sticking point between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Footnote 57 Meanwhile, the Taliban have intensified their attacks, resulting in an increase in violence compared to recent years.
Footnote 58 In late May, following a ceasefire on Eid al-Fitr, the Afghan government declared that it would release nine hundred prisoners. Footnote 59 It remains to be seen how the release of prisoners or the long-delayed start of intra-Afghan negotiations will evolve. Under the agreement, the opening of such negotiations is a precondition for the United States to request the withdrawal of the United Nations and the United States. Sanctions against the Taliban. Footnote 60 41 Cf. Christine Bell, Peace Agreements: Their Nature and Legal Status, 100 AJIL 373, 381 (2006) (Arguing that in “many peace agreements signed by armed opposition groups, there can be reason to claim that the parties maintained the internationally binding agreement and that the non-state signatories were `subjects of international law` – on the basis of the recognition of these groups under international law, in particular through humanitarian law”); see also Beatrice Walton, The U.S.-Taliban Agreement: Not a Ceasefire, or a Peace Agreement, and Other International Law Issues, Just Security (19 March 2020), www.justsecurity.org/69154/the-u-s-taliban-agreement-not-a-ceasefire-or-a-peace-agreement-and-other-international-law-issues (noting the lack of clarity on the international legal status of the agreement). In a speech, Pompeo called on the militant group to “keep its promises to sever ties with al-Qaeda.” Ruby Wax reflects on her conversation about her `car accident` with Donald Trump “We think this is a crucial and historic first step in terms of public recognition that they are severing their ties with al-Qaeda,” an official said. “It will be a work in progress.” The joint statement “takes note of the agreement between the United States and the Taliban” and “reaffirms Afghanistan`s willingness to participate in [intra-Afghan] negotiations and its willingness to conclude a ceasefire with the Taliban.” Footnote 36 The Joint Statement contains provisions for U.S.
withdrawal similar to those in the agreement and commits Afghanistan to work diplomatically to lift UN sanctions against Taliban personnel once intra-Afghan negotiations begin. Footnote 37 Nevertheless, the joint statement does not fully reflect the agreement. As a notable example, the Joint Declaration does not contain a provision for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban detained by 10 March. Footnote 38 Instead, it states: “Afghanistan will participate in a U.S.-backed discussion with Taliban representatives. including determining the feasibility of releasing a significant number of prisoners on both sides. Footnote 39 7 Mujib Mashal, the United States and the Taliban agree in principle with the peace framework, the N.Y. Times envoy (January 28, 2019) told www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/asia/taliban-peace-deal-afghanistan.html. Regarding withdrawal, the United States is “obliged to withdraw all forces of the United States, its allies and coalition partners from Afghanistan. within fourteen (14) months of the announcement of this Agreement. Footnote 24 In the first 135 days, the United States will “reduce” its strength to 8,600 men and withdraw from five military bases with its allies. Footnote 25 For the remainder of the period, the United States and its allies will “complete the withdrawal” in light of “the commitment and steps taken with respect to the Taliban`s obligations.” Footnote 26 The agreement also provides that “the United States and its allies shall refrain from threatening or using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan or interfere in its internal affairs.” Footnote 27 In his speech to the White House, Trump said that the Taliban had long tried to reach an agreement with the United States. The agreement`s conditional timetable for the withdrawal of the remaining US troops states that in the first phase, nearly 5,000 are due to leave Afghanistan in 135 days.
The withdrawal of the remainder, which must be completed within 14 months of signing, will depend on the Taliban`s compliance with the agreement. The Afghan government will also enter into negotiations with the Taliban to find a political solution that would define the Taliban`s role in a future Afghanistan. These negotiations are expected to begin next month. One of the first tasks of these intra-Afghan talks will be to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan. On February 29, 2020, the United States signed a “Peacebuilding Agreement in Afghanistan” with the Taliban. The agreement stipulates that the U.S. and its allies will gradually withdraw all forces from Afghanistan over a fourteen-month period and that the Taliban will not allow actors in their controlled territory to attack the U.S. and its allies. .