Afghan Taliban leader says committed to deal with US

leer of Taliban said on Wednesday that militants were committed to a landmark deal with US, despite being accused of carrying out thousands of attacks in Afghanistan since it was signed.

In a rare mess released ahe of end of Islamic holy month of Raman next week, Haibatullah Akhundza urged Washington "t to waste" opportunity offered by deal to end America's longest war.

" Islamic Emirate is committed to agreement... and urges or side to hour its own commitments and t allow this critical opportunity to go to waste," Akhundza said in a statement, using name Taliban called Afghanistan when y were in power.

After months of negotiations, Taliban and US signed a deal in February which stipulates Washington will withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by next year in return for security guarantees.

"I urge American officials to t afford anyone opportunity to obstruct, delay and ultimately derail this internationally recognised bilateral agreement", reclusive leer said.

Akhundza hails from Taliban's tritional bastion of Kandahar, and was appointed he of group after a US drone strike killed his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in 2016.

Mansour h succeeded Mullah Omar, one-eyed warrior-cleric who founded group.

Akhundza is a hardline religious scholar and a former he of Taliban court system.

In his mess he outlined political system he envisd for Afghanistan after exit of foreign troops.

" objectives of our jih... are freedom of our country and to establish an Islamic system," he said. "Every male and female member of society shall be given ir due rights."

During ir previous rule in 1990s, Taliban h implemented harsh Islamic punishments like public executions and amputations.

Men were forced to grow beards and women h to be fully covered. y h also banned girls above 10 years from going to school.

US President Donald Trump's ministration has me it a priority to end war in Afghanistan, and in a bid to pull out foreign forces US officials have been pushing Taliban and government leers to hold peace talks.

talks have stumbled, but Afghan government was strengned over weekend by anuncement of a power-sharing deal between President Ashraf Ghani and his former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, who will le negotiations with Taliban.

Under US accord Taliban pledged to stop attacking cities and foreign troops, but militants have continued to target Afghan forces in provinces.

Analysts say Taliban have been emboldened by deal, and Afghan government officials have reported more than 3,800 attacks since it was signed, killing 420 civilians and wounding 906.

US official who brokered deal with Taliban said last week militants h kept up ir end of bargain -- even if recent violence violated spirit of accord.

" Taliban have implemented ir agreement t to attack coalition forces," said Zalmay Khalilz, US Special Representative to Afghanistan.

His remarks came after a horrific attack against a maternity hospital in Kabul that killed dozens -- including mors and infants -- and a suicide bombing at a funeral.

Taliban denied involvement in attacks, but President Ghani blamed m and Islamic State (IS) group for bloodshed.

"y've committed t to carry out attacks in 34 major cities, and y haven't done that, based on our assessment," Khalilz said of Taliban.

"But we believe that y're in violation of spirit" of deal, he said, ding hospital attack was carried out by IS.

Khalilz arrived in Kabul and met with Ghani on Wednesday, officials said.

Following recent attacks government ordered security forces to switch to an "offensive" posture against Taliban.

y responded by vowing to increase attacks against government forces. United Nations has warned that spike in violence has led to increased casualties among civilians.