Taliban says it expects Joe Biden to abide by Trump's deal to pull American troops out of Afghanistan by May 2021
The Taliban expects president-elect Joe Biden to abide by the deal signed with his predecessor Donald Trump to remove American troops from Afghanistan.
In February Trump's administration signed a deal with the Taliban to take American troops out of Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for several security guarantees and a commitment from the insurgents to stop trans-national jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State from operating in the country.
'We signed the agreement with the American government, not a person,' Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, told AFP.
'We hope that the process that has started will not be weakened, but rather strengthened,' he added.
However, some people who support Biden hope he may slow the quick withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
Now the Taliban is doubling down on the agreement saying they hope Biden follows through in the deal signed on February 29.
The Taliban expects president-elect Joe Biden to abide by the deal signed with his predecessor Donald Trump to remove American troops from Afghanistan. A man reads a local newspaper showing a photograph of newly elected US President Joe Biden, in Kabul on Sunday
Newspapers in Kabul cover the US election and Biden's win of the presidency
Biden pictured Sunday after attending church at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware
The withdrawal of troops has been a cornerstone of Trump's plans to end America's longest war.
In early October there were under 5,000 troops in Afghanistan from an estimated 13,000 when the agreement with the Taliban was signed on February 29.
Since the signing of the deal, the US military has shut several bases and pulled out thousands of troops as agreed.
In the agreement the Taliban agreed to negotiate a permanent ceasefire and a power-sharing formula with the Afghan government.
That deal, however, excluded the Afghan government from negotiations, and also saw almost 6,000 Taliban prisoners released - much to the displeasure of authorities.
Days after the release of prisoners, peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government to end the war were launched in the Qatari capital Doha.
The talks, which commenced on September 12, have failed to make any significant progress so far.
'The ongoing intra-Afghan talks is part of the agreement (with the US) and shall continue unaffected,' Naeem said.
Trump pictured Sunday giving a thumbs up to supporters after playing golf at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia
Trump pictured with US service members deployed to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan on November 28, 2019 during a surprise Thanksgiving visit
Despite the Taliban and Afghan government engaging in talks, violence on the ground has only surged, with the Taliban stepping up daily attacks targeting Afghan security forces.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Sunday that ties between Kabul and Washington are expected to deepen in areas of counter-terrorism and building peace as he congratulated Biden on his election victory.
Kabul resident Salim, meanwhile, was hopeful that Biden would withdraw forces in a 'responsible' manner.
'Biden thinks more about Afghanistan. Even if he withdraws forces from the country, he would take a responsible decision (about it),' said Salim, who goes by only one name as many Afghans do.
Soldiers pictured during a training session in Herat, Afghanistan in February 2019