KABUL: The US military in Afghanistan Saturday urged warring parties to”return to the political path” in a rare open letter to the Taliban as asurge in violence risks shattering a hoped-for peace process.

In a two-page letter to the Taliban, US Forces-Afghanistan spokesmanColonel Sonny Leggett said “all sides” must show restraint to preventfurther bloodshed.

“If the violence cannot be reduced then yes, there will be responses”,Leggett wrote in a letter to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

“All sides must also return to the political path… Afghans should sitdown now and begin talking about the future of Afghanistan together.”

The letter came after General Scott Miller, who leads US and NATO troops inAfghanistan, on April 28 warned the Taliban of potential consequences tocontinued violence.

Under the terms of a US-Taliban deal signed February 29, the Talibancommitted to stop striking US and foreign partner troops, and agreed tostart peace talks with the Kabul administration following an exchange ofprisoners.

In return, the US and other foreign troops will leave Afghanistan within 14months of the deal signing.

The US agreed not to attack the Taliban, though it has reserved the rightto hit them to support Afghan forces if they come under attack.

The Taliban also verbally committed to reduce violence by as much as 80%,Leggett said, and to halt attacks on urban areas. Instead, there has been a”drastic increase” in violence, he noted.

While the Taliban have refrained from hitting coalition forces and cities,they returned to the battlefield the moment the deal was signed and havebeen unleashing an average of 55 attacks a day on Afghan forces, accordingto Afghan officials.

Meanwhile the prisoner swap has stalled as the Afghan government fretsabout releasing hardline Taliban members who will return to the fight.

In a short response to Leggett´s letter, Mujahid scolded the US for making”provocative statements”.

“We are committed to our end, honor your own obligations,” Mujahid wrote onTwitter.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants American troopshome, and the Taliban realise that as long as they don´t hit American orforeign troops, there are few consequences for continued attacks, expertssay. – APP/AFP