The United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, said that the Taliban are using violence as a leverage and that they must reduce the violence because they’re the “instigators” of it, reports Tolo News on December 18. “Clearly, the Taliban use violence as leverage. It's a tool they've used for a long time and it's one they're loathe to abandon. We press them pretty hard on violence. You know, we have been pressing them since 1 March 2020,” Miller said. “I've been very consistent that the Taliban must reduce the violence. That's one because they're the instigators of it, and that'll bring the violence down all around. But if we don't, my assessment is that it puts the peace process at risk and the higher the violence, the higher the risk. And I also believe that this opportunity for peace should not be squandered,” Miller added.