Afghan Security Forces on “Active Defence” – Talks with Taliban stalled

On Friday March 20, the Afghan Defence Minister called on the country’s Security Forces to be on “Active Defence” as peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban appear to have stalled, with no progress in plans for the exchange of prisoners.

Minister Assadullah Khalid said Afghan Forces have been put on defence over the US-Taliban agreement and added that insurgents have increased their attacks on security forces.

Khalid also implied that a truce would be declared in the country to cope better with the spread of coronavirus COVID 19.

The Defence Minister’s mandate came after US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Wednesday, March 18, that Washington would like to see the exchange of prisoners begin as soon as possible, under an agreement signed by Taliban.

“No detainee has been released so far despite relevant commitments on both sides,” Halilizad said in a Twitter post.

But Kabul has a different view on the exchange of prisoners.

“Our position on the exchange of prisoners has not changed,” National Security Council spokesman Javed Faisal said on Twitter.

“The Taliban should stop killing Afghans and provide guarantees that those released will not return to war,” he added.

Under the US-Taliban agreement, up to 5,000 prisoner guerrillas should be released before the intra-Afghan talks begin on March 10.

Amid uncertainty about the exchange of prisoners, the Taliban are continuing attacks on Afghan forces.

On Thursday, March 19, insurgents fired two separate attacks on two provinces of northern Afghanistan, in Balkh and Baghlan, killing seven members of the security forces and injuring another 14.

Four police officers were killed when a roadside bomb exploded in Baghlan province, a local official said, while 8 others were injured.

The Taliban also attacked a security force march in the Dular Abad area of ​​Balkh province, causing the deaths of three people and injuring six others.

With information from AMNA