Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib said Saturday that the Taliban were stepping up their attacks to gain power; The Taliban have warned that the group’s fighters are open to any action if the Doha agreement is violated.

Speaking at a joint press conference with senior security officials in Kabul, Mohib said that according to their information the Taliban are increasing the level of their violence.

He said the Taliban were stepping up their attacks to gain power, but the group would not win militarily and that the government is well prepared to repel and defend the Taliban attacks.

Mohib also said that the al-Qaeda network still remained a serious threat.

Meanwhile, acting defense minister, Mohammad Yasin Zia, told the news conference that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan had officially begun.

Mr. Zia stated: “The withdrawal of foreign forces has officially begun. The American forces may leave some bases by end of this week and then will be transferred to Bagram Airbase.”

The NSA told the conference that the issue of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan was not a concern. He stressed that reliance on these forces on the battlefield has not been great.

Arezo News