UN backs US-Taliban peace deal in Afghanistan

The UN Security Council unanimously backed a US-led resolution on Tuesday on the recently signed peace deal between the country and the Afghan Taliban, which has been waging a long militancy against US troops and Afghan security forces.

The US-sponsored UN resolution "welcomes the significant steps towards ending the war and opening the door to intra-Afghan negotiations."

The approved resolution text also "urges the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to advance the peace process, including by participating in intra-Afghan negotiations through a diverse and inclusive negotiating team composed of Afghan political and civil society leaders, including women."

The language on women's rights was added to the original draft by council members to try and enshrine women's rights. The Taliban has previously barred girls from education and women from working.

First step to a roadmap?

The US-Taliban deal is supposed to lead to intra-Afghan talks in which all factions, including the militant Taliban, would create a roadmap for the future.

The agreement, which was signed February 29, is also aimed winding down US military presence in Afghanistan after 18 years of engagement in the country. It stipulates that all US troops would be withdrawn from the country within 14 months provided the Taliban uphold security commitments.

However, earlier on Tuesday, the top US commander for the Middle East, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, expressed skepticism that the Taliban would honor its commitments.
"To date, Taliban attacks are higher than we believe are consistent with an idea to actually carry out this plan,'' McKenzie told US lawmakers.

The Security Council's endorsement of the peace deal also comes as Afghanistan is struggling to stabilize its internal political situation.

Just one day prior, rival leaders President Ashraf Ghani and his former unity government party Abdullah Abdullah each held separate swearing-in ceremonies for the office of president. Both had laid claim to the position following last year's presidential election.

Prisoner released announced

Also on Tuesday, President Ashraf Ghani announced that 1,500 Taliban prisoners would be released this weekend in a move to smooth the way toward upcoming talks with the militant group. He had previously rejected the measure. A total of 5,000 could be released, should the Taliban clearly limit its attacks.

Ghani's spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi said details of the decree would be forthcoming.

The freed prisoners must provide a written statement that they will not engage in future combat.

The Taliban had demanded the release of the prisoners as a precondition for intra-Afghan talks. The measure had also been part of the US-Taliban peace deal.

The Taliban later told Reuters news agency they a prisoner release would violate the terms of the peace deal.

"It is properly explained in the peace accord that first 5,000 prisoners would be freed and then the Afghan dialogue would be initiated," Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban in Doha told Reuters by phone.

"We never agreed to any conditional release of the prisoners. If someone claims this, it will be against the peace accord that we signed on February 29."

ed, cmb/rc (Reuters, AFP, AP)

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