NATO to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond May deadline agreed with Taliban: Sources

The US-led military alliance of NATO plans to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline -- a move that is expected to escalate tensions with the Taliban demanding a full implementation of the Doha agreement with the United States.

Citing four senior NATO officials, Reuters reported Sunday that the military alliance plans “no full withdrawal” from Afghanistan “by April-end.”

Under the deal signed last year between the Taliban and the administration of former US President Donald Trump in the Qatari capital, Doha, all foreign troops are expected to leave Afghan soil by May in exchange for the Taliban’s halting of their attacks on international forces.

Trump reduced the number of US troops in Afghanistan from approximately 13,500 to 2,500 before leaving office in mid-January.

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But the NATO says that “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,” according to the sources.

One of the officials also alleged that “conditions have not been met” by the Taliban.

The officials said plans on what will happen after April were now being considered and likely to be a top issue at a NATO meeting later this month.

The report follows the latest accusation by the Pentagon on Friday that the Taliban have not met their commitments.

Afghanistan’s Taliban say honoring Doha deal, warn US troops to leave or die

In a tweet on Friday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reacted to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby’s comments.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said that “it's very hard to see a specific way forward for the negotiated settlement. I don't think it is helpful to be drawn now into specific hypothetical discussions about troop numbers on a specific calendar basis.”

Later in the day, the Taliban reacted to his remarks, warning that the longer US forces remain in Afghanistan, the more troops will be killed.

On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem also urged the US to live up to the Doha agreement.

"The stay of foreign troops beyond the pre-determined time is contrary to the bilateral agreements," he added. 

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Naeem said that the Taliban demand "a full implementation" of the peace deal." If the deal is implemented, he said "all problems would be solve."

The US along with its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the guise of fighting terrorism and dismantling al-Qaeda.

The invasion — which has turned into the longest war in US history — removed the Taliban from power, but the militant group has never stopped its attacks, citing the foreign military presence as one of the main reasons behind its continued militancy.

Over 2,400 American soldiers and tens of thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed in the war.

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