NDS chief Ahmad Zia Saraj told Afghan Senators that Taliban maintains links with various terror groups in the region and want to return to power through military means rather than dialogue, a view that is also held by Delhi

The ONSC said that the Taliban conducted 2,804 attacks from the beginning of March to April 19, adding the group "does not remain committed to the reconciliation process that will help the country to end decades of war."

Afghanistan's intelligence agency National Directorate of Security or NDS, days after US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's suggestion for talks with Taliban, has backed India's position on the group by advocating tough line on Taliban.

NDS chief Ahmad Zia Saraj told Afghan Senators that Taliban maintains links with various terror groups in the region and want to return to power through military means rather than dialogue, a view that is also held by Delhi.

India had conveyed similar views to Khalilzad during his trip to Delhi last week and stated that Taliban is being controlled by Pak from across the border and terror sanctuaries thrive in Afghanistan, ET has learnt.

“The Taliban’s leadership is still thinking of a comeback to power by military means. They do not value things like mutual tolerance and peace,” Saraj told Afghan senators during a briefing about the security situations of the country on Sunday.

Expressing similar sentiments Minister of Interior Massoud Andarabi who was present at the same meeting said, “We will prevent the Taliban’s wish to settle the problem through military means.”

According to Saraj, since March the Taliban has conducted over 220 terror attacks. Afghan government sources told ET that Pakistan is trying to disrupt the security situation in Afghanistan. “There is nothing secret, it's a crystal-clear fact that Pakistan kills us on a daily basis,” general Yasin Zia, the deputy Minister of Defence told the Afghan senators on Sunday.

According to Afghan security officials, the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces (ANDSF) have launched over 1,200 operations against the Taliban since the signing of the peace agreement between the US and the Taliban on February 29.

Afghan Office of the National Security Council (ONSC) has claimed that the Taliban has conducted an average of 55 attacks per day since the signing of the peace deal with the United States in Doha on February 29.

The ONSC said that the Taliban conducted 2,804 attacks from the beginning of March to April 19, adding the group "does not remain committed to the reconciliation process that will help the country to end decades of war."

Based on ONSC figures, the attacks left "789 civilians dead and wounded," and “34 civilians were killed in Taliban attacks during the last week and "62 others were wounded.”

Earlier this month Afghan President Ghani, on the eve of Ramadan, appealed to the Taliban to call a ceasefire, especially in light of the pandemic spreading across the country. The Taliban responded by calling the appeal improbable and insincere considering the government's continued detention of thousands of Taliban prisoners--vulnerable to contracting COVID-19--and for causing other "hurdles" to be in the way of the peace process.