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US giving military aid to Taliban: Afghan lawmaker

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A senior Afghan lawmaker says Washington is providing Taliban militants in his country with military assistance.

According to the head of Complaints’ Committee of the Afghan Senate, Zalmai Zabuli, American helicopters have sent two sets of small arms and heavy weapons to Taliban militants in the country’s southern province of Zabul’s Mizan district.

Zabuli accused the United States of adopting double standard policy toward Afghanistan by saying that such assistance would only strengthen the militants who have been killing Afghan and US-led forces.

The Afghan lawmaker also warned that if continued, Washington’s military support for the Taliban could spark public outrage in Afghanistan and intensify anti-US sentiments.

Zabuli also said that Washington’s covert peace talks with the militant group have raised serious questions regarding its goals in Afghanistan.

US-led foreign forces are expected to leave Afghanistan in 2014.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, which was conducted as part of the so-called war on terror, removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity remains in the country despite the presence of foreign forces.

The recent announcement by Zabuli comes as the United States continues to carry out assassination drone strikes on the Afghan soil.

Although Washington claims the strikes target Taliban militants groups, reports show that civilians are usually the main victims of such attacks.

Civilian deaths during US-led airstrikes and operations in various parts of Afghanistan over the past decade have made Afghans increasingly outraged.

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