US to stay in Afghanistan beyond May

Amin Alemi

Press TV, Kabul

It seems that the policy of new US administration toward US military presence in Afghanistan is not in favor of Taliban.

The militant group has in recent months stepped up its attacks and bombings across Afghanistan instead of honoring either the intra-afghan talks, or an already inked US-Taliban deal.

The rise in violence has now convinced US officials to review the matter of US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. Recently, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby highlighted the importance US troops presence in Afghanistan due to rise in Taliban attacks.

The US has recently said it will keep its military forces in Afghanistan beyond May, citing the possible revival of some terrorist groups mainly Daesh in the war-torn country. That comes despite a US-Taliban deal signed in Doha last year calls for Washington to fully withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan.

While the Taliban warns both, the US and the Afghan government for the consequences of continuation of US military presence in Afghanistan, government officials here say, Afghan forces are fully ready to independently give a hard military response to Taliban. Kabul also welcomes Washington’s move saying, such attempt is in line with the shared interest of Kabul and Washington .

Analysts argue that nor fear of revival of terrorist groups, neither Afghanistan’s interests is behind Washington’s plan to stay in Afghanistan due to America’s policy toward Afghanistan at least over the past two decades . 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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