Gen. Scott Miller, commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, in a visit to Afghan forces in Kabul on Tuesday said the US-Taliban agreement is a potentially historic agreement for the Afghan people and that “it is fragile if the Taliban are not going to lower violence” and “that causes a risk to the agreement.”

He said there is a need for the Taliban to lower violence in Afghanistan “otherwise, it’s hard to have an agreement.”

The Taliban in a letter on Monday asked their fighters to resume their attacks on the Afghan government forces, but not to attack international troops as part of a deal they signed with the United States.

“The period of reduction in violence across Afghanistan was an important period for the Afghan people,” Miller said. “It’s a start for peace pathway and what I would say is that all sides--but especially the military of all sides--have obligations to make sure that pathway is achievable. We have shown restraint with the Afghan security forces and we have shown restraint because we know that’s the will of the Afghan people.”

He added: “The Taliban have obligations and we need them to live up to their obligations and if they don’t, we have the necessary responses.”

In response to a question if the Taliban attacks Afghan forces, will they have the support of their foreign counterparts, Miller said: “Yes, we will send air support when they (Afghan forces) need it… That support continues and we will continue to defend the Afghan security forces.”

Meanwhile, Yasin Zia, the deputy minister of defense, said the Taliban will be responded to if they violate the agreement.

“The Afghan Defense and Security Forces are ready defensively and if the Taliban violates their obligations they will be responded to hardly,” Zia said.