MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2020) More than 2,685 civilians were killed or injured in various attacks in Afghanistan in the past five months, Tolo news broadcaster reported, citing the Afghan security agencies data.
The data includes the period between January 21 � about a month ahead of the peace deal between the United States and Taliban � and June 20.
According to the security agencies, the number of victims increased after signing the peace deal, as 351 civilians were killed from January 21-February 19, while from February 20-March 19 the number of those killed amounted to 553.
In the course of the five months, the Taliban carried out 5,943 attacks, while the Afghan forces undertook 1,569 counter-Taliban operations.
Meanwhile, the Afghan National Directorate of Security condemned the recent Taliban attack in the northern province of Samangan that resulted in eight civilians were killed, while 58 others were injured, noting the increase in violence since the signing of the peace deal and accusing the movement and foreign mercenaries of not respecting human rights and international obligations.
Also on Tuesday, the US Department of Defense issued a statement, in which called on the all sides to the conflict to reduce the violence and "embark on intra-Afghan negotiations capable of achieving a negotiated and lasting peace for Afghanistan," stressing that the US met its obligation to reduce troops in the country to 8,600 and withdraw from five bases but would still continue to implement counterterrorism mission there.
On February 29, the United States and the Taliban movement signed a peace deal in the Qatari capital of Doha, stipulating gradual withdrawal of US troops, beginning of intra-Afghan negotiations and prisoner exchanges. The intra-Afghan talks failed to begin as scheduled amid differences over prisoner release, with the Taliban demanding that Kabul release all 5,000 prisoners at once.
