The head of the US Central Command said earlier this month that the level of violence in Afghanistan remains “too high” and Washington is reviewing a peace deal signed with the Taliban last year.
President Joe Biden's newly appointed national security advisor told his Afghan counterpart that the US will support the peace process with a robust and regional diplomatic effort to reach a permanent ceasefire.
Attacks in southern Uruzgan and Helmand and northern Kunduz claim at least 23 lives, including civilians, officials say.
Taliban backs off from signing agreement with Afghan negotiators in Doha talks, which was to include references to "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," government and diplomatic sources say.
The talks will decide what a peaceful Afghanistan might look like, which constitutional changes will be made, how the rights of women and minorities will be protected and the fate of heavily armed men on both sides of the conflict.
Earlier this week, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the release of 500 Taliban prisoners as part of a three-day ceasefire during the Eid al Adha holiday.
"In the past few days, some media have been releasing untrue reports about a ceasefire... The fact is that, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no ceasefire plans," the Taliban said in a statement.
The Afghan government says a third of its more than seven thousand plus polling stations will remain closed over security concerns.
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