The Taliban expect the remaining foreign military personnel in Afghanistan to leave the country by the end of April, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, a representative of the Qatari political office of the Taliban (banned in Russia), told reporters on Friday.
"Only three months remain before the deadline for the withdrawal of US and other foreign troops from Afghanistan. Most of them are out, only a few thousand remain. We hope to have them out of Afghanistan by the end of April," he said.
The Taliban also expect the US under Joe Biden to continue to adhere to the peace agreement signed in Doha. "We hope that the US will continue to abide by this agreement signed in Doha. And this is a good chance for the US," Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said.
According to the representative of the movement, if the Biden administration plans to revise it, it does not mean that the US is withdrawing from it. "Revising the agreement is their internal procedure," he said.
"It's a good chance for Americans to leave, according to this agreement. Regardless of the administration -- Biden or anyone else. We hope that when they renegotiate it, they come to that," Stanikzai pointed out.
He said the Taliban hopes Russia can influence the new US administration to implement the agreements on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
"We hope so. These countries are close to us, they are involved in the process. We're talking to them and looking for their support for a peace settlement," he said, when asked if the Taliban expect the Russian Federation, Iran and Pakistan to influence the new US administration in any way to implement the peace agreement.
On the peace agreement
Earlier Friday, the US Defense Department allowed a review of the decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in violation of the peace agreement with the Taliban.
On February 29, 2020, the previous US administration, led by President Donald Trump, and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in Doha. According to the agreements, the United States, its allies and the coalition undertake to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan within 14 months. The Taliban, in turn, guarantees that they will not use Afghan territory for actions that threaten the security of the United States and its allies.
The US operation in Afghanistan began in October 2001 and is the longest foreign military campaign in American history. At its peak in 2010-2013, Western forces in Afghanistan numbered more than 150,000 troops. The main US and NATO combat forces were withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2014.
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Photo: AP Photo / Rahmat Gul / TASS
Based on materials from TASS