Taliban say will resume operations against Afghan forces

Cracks in the US-Taliban deal were evident on Monday as the Taliban confirmed they were resuming offensive operations against Afghan security forces, less than 24 hours after the agreement with the United States.

Iran Press/Asia: "The reduction in violence... has ended now and our operations will continue as normal," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP.

Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Afghanistan Defense Ministry said the government was "checking to see if (the truce) had ended".

"We have not had any reports of any big attacks in the country yet," he added.

Meanwhile, at least three people have been killed and 11 wounded in an explosion in the eastern Afghan province of Khost.

Also on Monday, the Taliban refused to take part in intra-Afghan talks, one of the conditions of a full withdrawal of U.S. troops, until the Afghan government releases roughly 5,000 Taliban prisoners. 

The so-called peace deal between the Taliban and the United States was struck in the Qatari capital Doha, but while it creates a path for the US to gradually pull out of its longest war, many say it will pose serious challenges as the Afghan government has been sidelined up to now.

Under the deal signed on Saturday, foreign forces will withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months, subject to Taliban security guarantees and a pledge by the group to hold talks with the Kabul government.

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