The Office of the National Security Council (NSC) urged the Taliban to commit to a lasting ceasefire to protect civilians from violence and help lead the peace efforts.
In a press release on Monday, the NSC noted the midyear report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), that hold the Taliban responsible for the majority of the civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
The intelligence agency said that the “recent upsurge” in Taliban attacks and violence against civilians comes after “their commitment to decreasing violence” in the U.S.-Taliban agreement in Doha.
“To protect civilians from violence and fight COVID-19, and to help the peace efforts lead to success, we yet again invite the Taliban to commit to a lasting ceasefire and the immediate start of direct talks,” the statement said.
They said the government has maintained a defensive posture for months during which the Taliban continued its violence.
NATO also expressed concerns about the continuation of Taliban violence and said it is harming the “unique opportunity for peace.”
“NATO calls on Taliban to cease violence, live up to their commitments and enter intra-Afghan negotiations ASAP,” they tweeted.
They urged the group to prioritize civilian protection and start the peace talks. “The best way to end the suffering of civilians is to pursue political settlement of the conflict. All parties agree there is no military solution.”
The British embassy in Kabul also condemned the UNAMA report and said, “Harm to civilians remains unacceptably high. The Afghan people need a significant reduction in violence.”
The UNAMA reports too called on all parties to end the conflict through political solutions in order to reduce civilian casualties.
