U.S.: Agreement with Taliban to end longest war? Taliban: Agreement to end occupation?
“The agreements between the US & the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, & between the US & the Taliban, promise to end decades of devastating conflict & to pave the way for negotiations among Afghans, as they begin to build a better future for all.” – #NATO
At a ceremony held at the President’s Palace with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, marking the Joint Declaration between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and signature of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban, Mr. Stoltenberg said: “The agreements between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and between the United States and the Taliban, promise to end decades of devastating conflict and to pave the way for negotiations among Afghans, as they begin to build a better future for all. This is a victory for peace and a victory for the Afghan people. Through their bravery and determination, and the support of the international community, Afghanistan is a very different country today than it was in 2001. I have seen this transformation, from despair to hope, driven by a deep desire for peace, in the eyes of every Afghan I have met.”
He stressed that, “the challenge now is to preserve these gains. The price of peace cannot be to sacrifice progress. Peace will only be sustainable if the human rights of all Afghans – women, men and children – are protected.” The Secretary General stressed that “the time for peace is now,” stating that NATO Allies and partners stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Afghan people, as they have done since 2001.
The Secretary General’s delegation also met with the Commander of the Resolute Support Mission, General Austin Miller, and with NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, Ambassador Sir Nicholas Kay, as well as with Allied ambassadors, representatives of the European Union and United Nations, and Afghan senior officials.
NATO has been engaged in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, which for the first time in history triggered its collective defence clause, Article 5, in support of the US. Through the combat ISAF mission and currently the training Resolute Support mission, hundreds of thousands of men and women from NATO Allies and partners countries have served in Afghanistan, and over 3,000 have paid the ultimate price.
Taliban release from its official website
On the 7th of October 2001 after the allied forces led by America transgressed against our homeland, the Islamic Emirate representing the Afghan nation, with the Divine Help of Allah (SwT), finally reached an agreement about the termination of occupation of Afghanistan following nearly nineteen years of Jihad and struggle.
This victory is the collective victory of the entire Muslim and Mujahid nation – of our fellow brothers and sisters who presented monumental and extraordinary sacrifices of life and wealth for nearly two decades.
The accord about the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and never intervening in its affairs in the future is undoubtedly a great achievement.
This accord with the United States about the termination of occupation that shall deliver our people from subjugation is a significant milestone and a special Beneficence, Help and Reward from Allah (SwT). Therefore, we must not label this accomplishment the work of a particular individual or group but consider it a Reward from Allah and the product of the sacrifices of the entire Mujahid nation. For the full release and more here
NATO welcomes the announcement of significant first steps in pursuit of a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan.
Recent progress on peace has ushered in a reduction of violence and paved the way for intra-Afghan negotiations between a fully inclusive Afghan national team and the Taliban to reach a comprehensive peace agreement. We call on the Taliban to embrace this opportunity for peace.
In this context, the Alliance and its partners in the Resolute Support Mission will implement conditions-based adjustments, including a reduction to our military presence.
We now expect the commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations leading to an enduring and comprehensive peace agreement that puts an end to violence, safeguards the human rights of all Afghans, including women and children, upholds the rule of law, and ensures that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for terrorists. It is important that all parties engage constructively in this process.
NATO reaffirms its longstanding commitment to Afghanistan and ongoing support for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces. We are committed to working with the Afghan people and government to support next steps toward peace.
For eighteen years, NATO and our partners have stood with the people of Afghanistan in the pursuit of security and stability. We honour the women and men from Allied and partner nations who served and especially those who gave their lives for the cause of peace. We pay tribute to the great sacrifices made by the people of Afghanistan and, in particular, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, over the course of this long conflict. These efforts have laid the foundation for building a sustainable peace.
VOA weighs in plus More speeches from Secretary of State and secretary of defense offices below
US, Afghan Taliban Sign Peace Deal
By VOA News
After nearly 19 years of fighting, representatives of the United States and Afghan Taliban signed a peace deal Saturday in Doha, Qatar.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among those witnessing the signing of the agreement, which is intended to lead to talks between the Taliban and Afghan government officials on ending their conflict, and at drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 from 13,000.
U.S. President Donald Trump called on the Taliban and the Afghan government to “seize this opportunity for peace,” and said if they live up to the commitments, “we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home.”
Defense Secretary Mark Esper will also issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan, according to Trump’s Friday statement.
A reduction of violence agreement between the U.S. and Taliban went into effect seven days ago, and its success paved the way for Saturday’s signing.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai told VOA’s Afghan service “We are very happy to see the signing taking place on Saturday. It’s a welcomed thing. And from that point on, we hope that the intra-Afghan dialogue will start as soon as possible so Afghans can sit together and bringing lasting peace to our beloved country.”
The talks between the Taliban and Afghan officials are supposed to begin with in 10 days.
The head of strategic relations at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Peace Affairs, Najiyah Anwari, said, “The delegation of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government will be inclusive … in a way that it is able to represent Afghanistan well and to keep the achievements of Afghan people and their demands in past two decades and fight for it.”
Former Taliban attorney general and deputy minister of justice Mawlavi Jalaluddin Shinwari told VOA that for their part, “The Taliban in the intra-Afghan talks want the participation of influential individuals in other words, the anti-Taliban leaders who have fought against the Taliban before.”
Under the agreement, Afghanistan is to release 5,000 Taliban from government jails, while the Taliban agree to not allow extremists use Afghanistan to plot attacks against the United States or its allies.
The U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, which started nearly 19 years ago, after the September 11, 2001, attacks, has cost Washington almost $1 trillion and the lives of about 2,400 military personnel.
VOA’s Eunjung Cho and Bezhan Hamdard contributed to this report.