The US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters on Tuesday that the Taliban were not living up to their commitments under an agreement signed this year.

Asked whether the Taliban abide by their commitments, he said: “I don’t think they are.” He also added that he believed the Afghan government was also not living up to its commitment.

“The Afghan government and the Taliban both need to come together and make progress on the terms that are laid out,” he asserted.

After lengthy talks behind closed doors, the Taliban and Washington signed an agreement in February for reduced violence and a move towards talks with the Afghan government, but attacks by the group have increased since then.

Progress on moving to negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government has been delayed, in part by the political feud between President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah, who both claimed to be Afghanistan’s rightful leader following September’s disputed election.

The political deadlock comes as the Taliban has increased the pace of violence.

Arezo News