...mindless ferocity in a turban...attacks have not decreased following the peace deal signed with the US; instead, the figures show an increase in violence by the group.
The data shows the Taliban conducted 5,943 attacks from January 21 to June 17, while Afghan forces--supported by foreign troops--conducted 1,569 operations against the group.
The data, tracked in solar months, shows the Taliban carried out 915 attacks from Jan. 21 to Feb. 19, one month ahead of the peace deal and the reduction in violence week. Afghan forces had 613 operations during this period, according to the data.
But their attacks increased to 1,378 in the following one month — Feb. 19 to March 20--according to the security figures, while Afghan forces had 209 operations during this month, less than what they conducted the previous month.
The data shows that Taliban attacks lessened after March 20, but they were still higher than what was recorded a month ahead of the peace deal. The group conducted 1,250 attacks from March 20 to April 20; 1,271 attacks from April 20 to May 20 and 1,155 attacks from May 20 to June 17.
Afghan forces operations however slightly increased compared to what was recorded between Feb. 19 to March 20. They conducted 261 operations from March 20 to April 20, 293 operations from April 20 to May 20 and 220 operations from May 20 to June 17.
The highest number of Taliban attacks in a week during this period was 511 attacks in the last week of Hoot (March 11 to March 18) while the highest number of the Afghan forces operations in a week during this period was 185 attacks in the third week of Dalwa month of the last solar year (Feb. 4 to Feb. 10), the data shows.
Following the peace deal, in Hamal month of the current solar year (March 20 to April 20), the Taliban conducted 97 attacks in a day, which was the most
The Taliban has not commented on the figures provided by security agencies. But a list released by the Taliban on April 19 provided figures of US forces attacks after the peace deal. The Taliban list showed that 33 air raids and dronezaps were conducted in 19 provinces against the group from March 9 to April 10.
In response to the Taliban data, the top US general in Afghanistan, Gen Scott Miller, in a statement said, "all sides, but especially the Taliban, must reduce violence to allow the political process to take hold."