NATO urges Taliban to cease attacks in Afghanistan

NATO has termed the security situation in Afghanistan "difficult and challenging" and called on the militant Islamic Taliban to cease their attacks.
"We share the deep concern expressed by the UN Security Council about the high levels of violence caused by the Taliban's military offensive, including attacks on civilians, and reports of other serious human rights abuses," a NATO official told dpa in Brussels.
There is no military solution to the conflict, the official asserted.
"The Taliban must understand that they will never be recognized by the international community if they reject the political process and try to take the country by force. They must cease their attacks and take part in peace talks in good faith."
The NATO official called for an "inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process."
Such a peace process needed to make urgent progress towards a ceasefire and a political settlement that puts an end to violence; safeguards the human rights of Afghans, particularly women, children, and minorities; upholds the rule of law; and ensures that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for terrorists.
"We call on all regional actors to play a constructive role, since a stable and secure Afghanistan is to everybody's benefit," the official added.
Since the start of the withdrawal of international troops in early May, the Taliban have made massive territorial gains and are currently capturing one provincial capital after another.
Despite the alarming Taliban advance, the United States is currently sticking to its withdrawal plans, as is Germany.
From 1996 until the US-led intervention in 2001, the Taliban controlled large parts of Afghanistan.