KABUL: Taliban violence has "increased" in Afghanistan despite signing of the landmark peace deal with the US last year, security agencies have said, adding that the group still maintains ties with the Al Qaeda terror group.
In a joint statement on Friday, the Ministries of Defence and Interior Affairs and the National Security Council (NSC) said the Taliban has increased car bomb attacks on military installations, roadside bombings, magnetic IED explosions, and targeted killings across the country, TOLO News reported. The security agencies did not provide figures on the number of Taliban attacks during this period.
NSC spokesman Rahmatullah Andar said that 11 Al Qaeda members who were arrested recently "were operating in the ranks of the Taliban". "Three of those arrested are key members of the network," Andar said.
Afghan lawmakers said that targeted killings and violence have increased in the country after the US-Taliban Doha agreement.
Meanwhile, a former Taliban member said that violence will cease when there is an agreement on an Islamic government. "The peace negotiations are underway. The Taliban has said they will cease violence, or agree on a ceasefire, but all these are possible when there is an Islamic system," said former commander Sayed Akbar Agha. (IANS)