KABUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. forces in Afghanistan have evacuated five military bases and handed over them to Afghan forces, a local TV channel reported Wednesday.

"The United States took the decision of evacuating the five bases in accordance with a peace agreement signed between the U.S. and Taliban militants in late February this year," Ariana News TV reported.

The bases are reportedly located in southern provinces of Helmand and Uruzgan and eastern provinces of Laghman and Paktika.

The foreign forces stationed in nine military bases across Afghanistan before the evacuation.

Since the signing of the agreement, Afghan leaders, including President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, have frequently demanded the Taliban to reduce violence.

The militants, however, have intensified attacks, killing and injuring scores of combatants and civilians.

The government has released more than 4,000 Taliban inmates and the Taliban insurgents have freed over 600 national security force members after the deal.

Presently, more than 10,000 foreign forces, including 8,500 U.S. troops, are serving in Afghanistan to train and assist domestic forces in the war on the insurgents. Enditem

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