Taliban Issues Warning Ahead of NATO Meeting: "Must Take Responsibility for Attempts to Extend Occupation"

by Kang Nahum

Published 14 Feb.2021 15:36(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The Islamic militant group Taliban in Afghanistan has sent a warning message to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) regarding the withdrawal of foreign troops from the region.

According to foreign media including AFP on the 14th, the Taliban stated in a statement the previous day, "Those seeking to prolong war and occupation must be held accountable as they were over the past 20 years."

The Taliban conveyed the message ahead of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting scheduled for the 17th and 18th, emphasizing, "The continuation of occupation and war is against the interests of both your people and ours."

NATO is expected to discuss the withdrawal of approximately 10,000 local troops at this meeting. Previously, during the Donald Trump administration in February last year, the United States promised the withdrawal of international allied forces within 14 months as part of a peace agreement with the Taliban. The Taliban agreed to prevent extremist militant activities in Afghanistan and to resume dialogue among Afghan factions.

Since then, the United States has reduced its troop presence in Afghanistan from about 12,000 to 2,500. Peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government also began in September last year.

However, the Taliban has recently been uncooperative in peace talks with the Afghan government. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) overseeing the government negotiation team, said on the 9th, "Negotiations have been suspended for three weeks due to the absence of the Taliban delegation."

Meanwhile, within Afghanistan, Taliban offensives and terrorist attacks are intensifying. In particular, 'targeted terrorism' against journalists, social activists, judges, and police officers has sharply increased.