US and coalition forces commander, Gen. Scott Miller, has said that the Taliban might increase violence after the three-day ceasefire that ended on May 15, but he reiterated that the US will support Afghan forces until the full withdrawal of their troops from the country.

“We’re watching closely what the Taliban will do post the Eid ceasefire,” Miller said in an interview with the BBC. “Ideally, they would continue with the reduced violence because it is something that the Afghan people want. But the expectation is that they will pick up violence in the nearer term.” 

“I do expect that we’ve seen Taliban surge pressure on different provincial capitals,” he said as quoted by BBC. 

In response to a question about whether the US has failed in its mission in Afghanistan, he said: “Certainly, there were some victories along the way, but I think history will judge this and the future will tell the rest of the story.” 

Sources close to the Taliban said that there has been progress in the release of 7,000 prisoners of the group by the Afghan government. The sources said that the Taliban is expected to hold a session with the US about the withdrawal of American forces from the country. 

“Big hopes exist that the Taliban prisoners will be released and that the foreigners and the Taliban will achieve a new agreement on the withdrawal of American forces (from Afghanistan),” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban commander. 

The Afghan government said that the release of prisoners will depend on agreements within the peace negotiations. 

“Decisions will be made on the prisoners' release--if the release of 7,000 prisoners will lead to an agreement for a just and enduring peace,” said Mohammad Amiri, a presidential spokesman. 

The conference on Afghanistan in Turkey is expected to take place in the near future, but its exact time is not known so far.