Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, April 25th, 2024

A Practical Impossibility!

The US and Taliban signed a peace agreement in February 2020 after nine rounds of discussions, negotiators that addresses four main issues: reducing violence, withdrawing foreign troops, starting intra-Afghan negotiations, and guaranteeing Afghanistan won’t again become a refuge for terrorists. Out of four issues, only withdrawal of the foreign troops is going on relatively according to the schedule. The other three issues have completely a different status.
Increasing of Violence Vs Reducing Violence
Taliban increased their violence after the peace agreement that emboldened to increase the violence and pursue revival of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. To this end, they purposefully have attacked the Afghan Security and National Defense Forces and Civilians. Comparing the rate of violence with pre-agreement deal, Taliban group has increased violence a hundred percent. Taliban have imposed the same harsh policies in the districts under their control on women and minority religious groups they had imposed in 1990s. In Badakhshan, Takhar and other places they have ordered the elders to prepare the list of the girls above 15 and widowers under 45 and submit them to the cultural committee of Taliban in order to marry them with Taliban fighters.
Intra-Afghan negotiations have been stalled by Taliban
As Taliban do not believe in a political settlement in the country, they have put their weight on war instead of negotiations. It is a long time they have practically left he negotiations table as advised by the regional intelligence agencies they work for them. It was expected that the talks to take place in a hostile climate. As a result, the Taliban after their deal with the US, became more aggressive in their attacks on Afghan government forces in order to come to the negotiation table from the position of strength. They have conducted numerous attacks against the Afghan security forces and civilians, a situation which shows the Afghan had rightly conditioned a ceasefire by Taliban for the negotiations to commence. However, continued hostilities and increase of violence by Taliban have derailed the negotiation process. The US reduced Kabul’s status to a mere spectator in its February deal with the Taliban. It is no doubt sidelining of Kabul has been favored by Afghan neighboring countries which support Taliban.
Guaranteeing Afghanistan won’t again Become a Refuge for Terrorists
Terrorism experts believe that neither Taliban are able and nor can prevent Afghanistan not to become a safe haven for the terrorist groups again. The Afghan Taliban have kept up a close relationship with Al Qaeda despite pledging to stop cooperating with terrorist groups. Taliban have permit the militants to conduct training in Afghanistan and deploy fighters alongside its forces in different parts of the country. Currently Al Qaeda, ISIS and Taliban are fighting as an alliance against ANSDF in the Northern Afghanistan. They have accepted the title of the operations to be FATH, but they would act according their principles in the areas under their control.
The association of Taliban with Al Qaeda has continued after the insurgency signed an agreement with the U.S. that bans cooperation with or hosting of terrorist groups. As the fight and violence escalation by Taliban shows there is still clearly a close and strong relationship between Al Qaeda and the Taliban and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Even Taliban provide protection to the top leadership of Al Qaeda. 
The Taliban and Al Qaeda are deep, dating back three decades, with Al Qaeda militants marrying into Pashtun tribes in Taliban-controlled areas. If the US expects that the Taliban’s leadership can dictate their fighters’ division from Al Qaeda dismisses cultural and practical realities. Because by design, Al Qaeda trainers, fighters and leaders have built intimate, local ties to their Taliban counterparts, and the two organizations have forged familial ties that assure mutual loyalty and obligation based on Pashtun cultural norms.
Currently, Taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS are fighting as alliance against the ANSDF in the Northern Afghanistan. The US and allies will pay a high cost for the wrong idea that they have made the break with terrorist groups and agreed that they would break that relationship and that they would work alongside of US and allies to destroy, deny resources to and have Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups depart from Afghanistan.
Out of four issues of the US and Taliban Agreement, only withdrawal of the troops has been seriously implemented. Among the four issues, reducing violence by Taliban had a different course: Increase of Violence. Further, guaranteeing Afghanistan won’t again become a refuge for terrorists is something that looks impossible. Because, it is a practical impossibility to expect Taliban fighters to abandon daughters, grandchildren and son-in-laws.