A peace deal signed. Then America and the Taliban resume fighting

THE INK was barely dry on the peace agreement signed on February 29th by America and the Taliban before the disputes began. The deal states that “up to 5,000” Taliban prisoners will be released before March 10th, paving the way for talks between the Taliban and assorted Afghan grandees about the future of the country. But the deal glosses over who will do the releasing. Most Taliban prisoners are in the hands of the Afghan government, with whom the Taliban have refused thus far to negotiate, on the grounds that it is an illegitimate, American-imposed regime (although the government is supposed to participate in the talks on March 10th). Ashraf Ghani, the president, says he has not made any promises to release anyone.

Meanwhile, both sides have resumed shooting one another. They had observed a partial but successful seven-day ceasefire in the run-up to the signing. American and Afghan officials said this “significant reduction” in violence should continue, but the Taliban have called it off. On March 3rd they attacked no fewer than 43 government checkpoints in just one of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, Helmand. On the same day in another province, Kunduz, at least 15 Afghan soldiers were killed. The following day, just hours after President Donald Trump said he’d had a “very good talk” with the Taliban’s chief negotiator, Abdul Ghani Baradar, American warplanes bombed a Taliban position in support of Afghan troops—the first air strike since the agreement was signed.