The Taliban has continued to maintain its close ties to al-Qaeda despite promises it made to the United States to cut ties with al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, the UN said Monday.
The relations between the Taliban and al-Qaeda, particularly its Haqqani Network, remain close, and are rooted in “friendship, a history of shared struggle, ideological sympathy and intermarriage,” the report read.
“The Taliban regularly consulted with Al-Qaida during negotiations with the United States and offered guarantees that it would honour their historical ties. Al-Qaida has reacted positively to the agreement, with statements from its acolytes celebrating it as a victory for the Taliban’s cause and thus for global militancy,” the report further read.
The United States and the Taliban signed a historic agreement on Saturday, February 29, which would lead to the drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and would pave the way for the intra-Afghan talks to end the longest-running war in the country.
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As part of the peace pact, the Taliban promised not to allow al-Qaeda, Daesh or any other militant group to operate in the areas they control.
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