(REUTERS): International forces could remain in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline envisaged by the Taliban’s deal with the United States due to ongoing conditions, four senior officials of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) said.
“Conditions have not been met. There will be no full withdrawal by allies by April-end,” one senior NATO official told an international news agency, on condition of anonymity.
The official further said, “With the new US administration, there will be tweaks in the policy, the sense of hasty withdrawal which was prevalent will be addressed and we could see a much more calculated exit strategy.”
The move would violate an accord struck by the Trump administration and Taliban negotiators last year that calls for the removal of all coalition forces by May in return for the insurgents fulfilling certain security guarantees.
A NATO spokesperson said that the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan remains condition-based. “No NATO ally wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary, but we have been clear that our presence remains conditions-based,” she added.
Violence has continued in Afghanistan despite the accord, and attacks against Afghan security forces and other targets remain common. A spokesperson for the Taliban told the news agency that the group also remains committed to the peace process, even given recent attacks.
