Peace still missing link in Afghanistan despite peace deal

Amin Alemi 
Press TV, Kabul 

One year has passed from a meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, where the US and Taliban representatives inked a deal to put an end to decades-long misery of the Afghan nation by reaching an agreement to bring peace to the war-ravaged country.

The release of 5000 Taliban inmates, the withdrawal of foreign troops and the Taliban’s approval of a ceasefire were the main parts of the US-Taliban deal. The prisoners were released, but the other two commitments have not been fulfilled, yet.

Soon after the US-Taliban deal was signed, the first round of intra-Afghan talks kicked off in Doha. This once again ruined the dreams of Afghans as it failed to bring peace. Now Afghan officials not only warn the Taliban to either approve a lasting peace or get ready to be killed by Afghan armed troops, but blame the international community for depriving Afghans of their fundamental right, that is peace.

The Afghan peace process is facing some key obstacles, including foreign interference, but the bitter fact is that the main victims of war are innocent civilians.

Based on an annual report by Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission on humanitarian conditions for Afghan children, nearly 6,000 civilians including more than 2,000 children were killed in 2020 due to war and violence in Afghanistan. 

Let’s not forget that the new US administration has announced Washington is going to review the US-Taliban deal. The declaration was welcomed by the Afghan government, but the Taliban urgently reacted and blamed the US for seeking a pretext to stay in Afghanistan further.