US lawmakers call on Taliban to 'immediately' stop attacks

The Taliban have carried out around 55 attacks daily since signing a peace deal with the United States in late February, according to Afghan National Security Council. US Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction last week said that the significant uptick in March attacks were “above seasonal norms.”
“The dramatic increase in violence in Afghanistan is an unacceptable violation of the Trump Administration’s February agreement with the Taliban," Representatives Eliot Engel, the committee's Democratic chairman, and Michael McCaul, its ranking Republican, said in a statement.
"The Taliban’s continued attacks on Afghan forces make us question whether the Taliban will uphold its commitments, jeopardize progress towards peace, and prevent negotiations from moving forward," the statement said.
Afghanistan has confirmed 3,776 coronavirus infections, 109 deaths and 472 recoveries.
A Reuters report earlier this month said that the four provinces that have reported the highest number of cases of the infection have also been the ones hit the most by Taliban violence in recent weeks.
Humanitarian organizations continue to warn that Afghanistan could be severely impacted by the economic fallout from the pandemic.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in violence prevents Afghans from focusing on the health crisis," US House Foreign Relations Committee leaders wrote. "We call on all parties to immediately stop attacks and enter into a humanitarian crisis ceasefire, deescalate the cruel cycle of violence, and support the road to peace and stability that