Peace accord breaks with Taliban's dominance

Kabul, Feb 3: The peace agreement in Musa Qala in the southernprovince of Helmund has broken down with the Taliban entering andcapturing the town.

Under the agreement in October last year, the British troopswithdrew from the area, maintaining a ceasefire in exchange for theassurance that the Taliban would not operate in the area.

The agreement which was between the Governor of the Helmundprovince and the elders of the area, led to a cessation of hostilitiesin the area.

The agreement was, however, controversial right from the startwith accusations that the government and the NATO led ISAF troops hadsurrendered their authority in exchange for temporary peace.

The unraveling of the peace agreement two days ahead of thehandover of the command of the ISAF troops from the British to theAmericans will be a severe blow to the British command.

The agreement apparently fell apart following a NATO bombingstrike in the area on January 25. The bombing led to the killing of asenior Taliban leaders and his deputies.

The NATO claimed the bombing had taken place outside the area ofthe Musa Qala agreement which they said covered an area of fivekilometers.

Taliban leaders were apparently angered however at this apparentdishonoring of the agreement and entered Musa Qala town. They firstdisarmed the local police and later arrested those resisting themfollowing some skirmishes.

NATO officials remained tightlipped about the entire incidentsaying that as far as the incident in Musa Qala was concerned theycontinued to work with the Government of Afghanistan.

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