Taliban shortchanges peace deal, attacks Kabul govt

Just two days after the US and Taliban signed the peace deal, the Afghan militant group shortchanged the agreement by ordering its members to launch terror attacks against the Afghanistan government.

The Taliban carried out its first attack on Monday afternoon after it got a go ahead from the leadership, killing three people in a bomb blast at a football ground in Shmbwath area in the eastern province of Khost. Seven people were injured in the attack.

Sources said the military commission of Taliban issued directives to its officials and zones throughout Afghanistan after signing the deal. "The Mujahideen of the Islamic emirates are once again directed to start attacks against the puppet government administration. However, their foreign invaders are not included in the agreement. Orders regarding the occupiers would be issued in the next few days," the military commission said in a statement.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahideen told the Afghan Islamic Press that operations against foreign and Afghan forces would be carried out as per the mechanism of the peace deal. Taliban issued orders of attacks on the Afghan forces, he said.

The attacks are an indication of the Taliban ending the partial truce with the US. Sources said peace will remain evasive since there is not much meeting ground between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Soon after the peace deal was signed, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani refused to release Taliban prisoners, which was part of the agreement.

The Afghan government is not willing to risk its stability by releasing Taliban prisoners, sources said.IANS