On March 10, the US officially announced the start of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in the framework of the “peace” deal with the Taliban.
Under the deal signed on 29 February, Washington agreed to reduce its troops from about 12,000 to 8,600 within 135 days of signing the agreement. The US-controlled Kabul government did not take part in the deal, because the Taliban does not see it as a party that has a right to decide something in the country. However, under the deal, the Afghan government must issue a decree for at least 1,000 Taliban prisoners to be released this week. If this does not happen, Kabull will face a new round of Taliban attacks, and this time the US may opt to not intervene.
These developments came amid an intensification of ISIS actions in the country. On March 9, ISIS shelled a presidential palace in Kabul during the inauguration of the president after the recent elections.
#Afghanistan ISIS spreads a video of Monday's rockets attack against Afghan Presidential Palace in #Kabul@IsraelMFA @StateDept @RosannaMrtnz pic.twitter.com/pJ27c0kPaE
— Unofficial ✡MOSSAD✡ (@MossadNews) March 9, 2020
The terrorist group used an improvised rocket system and claimed that all rockets hit their targets. Pro-government sources claim that the shelling caused no casualties.
#BREAKING : 1) Terrorist group ISIS has claimed responsibility for targetting the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani in #Kabul. As evidence, the terrorist group published the photograph of car, in which terrorist had installed rocket launching systems. pic.twitter.com/vS8XXp0hNe
— Sushmit Patil (@PatilSushmit) March 10, 2020
