Peace agreement breaks down with Taliban's increasing dominance

Kabul, Feb 3 (UNI) The peace agreement in Musa Qala in the southern province of Helmund has broken down with the Taliban entering and capturing the town.

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

The agreement which was between the Governor of the Helmund province and the elders of the area, led to a cessation of hostilities in the area.

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

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

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

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

Taliban leaders were apparently angered however at this apparent dishonoring of the agreement and entered Musa Qala town. They first disarmed the local police and later arrested those resisting them following some skirmishes.

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

UNI