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KABUL -- The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan says he has struck an agreement with the Taliban to reduce the number of casualties in the country as a wave of violence hampered ongoing intra-Afghan peace talks in Qatar.

Zalmay Khalilzad made the comments on October 15 amid rising fears about the fate of tens of thousands of civilians caught up in battles between Afghan government forces and the Taliban in the southern province of Helmand.

Khalilzad tweeted that he and the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, held several meetings with the Taliban during which the sides agreed to " strictly" adhere to their commitments under a peace agreement signed in Qatar in February.

"We agreed to re-set actions by strictly adhering to implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made," he wrote.

"This means reduced numbers of operations. At present too many Afghans are dying. With the re-set, we expect that number to drop significantly," the U.S. envoy added.

Under the February U.S.-Taliban deal, foreign forces would leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the militant group.

Peace talks between Afghan government representatives and Taliban negotiators began last month in the Qatari capital, Doha, but there has been no apparent progress in the negotiations meant to end Afghanistan's decades-long war.

“Attacks have been on the rise in recent weeks - threatening the peace process and alarming the Afghan people and their regional and international supporters,” Khalilzad tweeted on October 15.

The secretary-general of NATO, which is leading a mission to train, advise, and assist Afghan forces, said the Doha talks “offer the best chance for peace, but Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence."

Jens Stoltenberg made the remarks on Twitter after discussing the situation in Afghanistan with Khalilzad.

This week in Helmand, the U.S. military took part in air strikes to support Afghan forces defending the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, from a Taliban assault.

Around 35,000 people are believed to have left their homes and taken refuge in the city since heavy clashes erupted in the area on October 11.

United Nations agencies say the heavy fighting has taken out electricity and telecommunication lines in Lashkar Gah, interrupted critical health services, and blocked all exit routes.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Afghanistan reported on October 15 that the main trauma hospital for war-wounded in the provincial capital remains “under pressure.”

The nearby Boost provincial hospital, which is supported by the Geneva-based charity, has received 52 war-wounded patients between October 11 and 14, wrote hospital coordinator Mariana Cortesi.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and human rights groups have called on both sides to protect civilians and give civilians safe passage for those wishing to leave.

A journalist with Australia's national broadcaster ABC will not be charged over 2017 reports that revealed the country's involvement in potential war crimes in Afghanistan, federal police confirmed on October 15.

Daniel Oakes was facing three potential charges over a series of reports called the Afghan Files, which were based on leaked documents exposing Australian special forces troops' role in the alleged crimes. The charges were linked to obtaining classified information.

After the the Australian Federal Police (AFP) submitted evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution (CDPP), it was determined that it would not be in the public interest to charge Oakes.

"In determining whether the matter should be prosecuted, the CDPP considered a range of public interest factors, including the role of public interest journalism in Australia’s democracy," the AFP said in a statement. "The CDPP determined the public interest does not require a prosecution in the particular circumstances of this case.

"The AFP concluded that it had finalized its investigation into Oakes. The AFP made the same decision in regard to ABC journalist Sam Clark in July.

The Afghan Files led to raids on the ABC's Sydney headquarters last year and sparked calls for media law reforms to protect journalists and their sources.

The ABC on October 15 said the "whole episode has been both disappointing and disturbing."

"While we welcome this decision, we also maintain the view [that] the matter should never have gone this far," ABC Managing Director David Anderson said. "Journalists in this country should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs, and legislation needs to be changed to provide proper protection for journalists and their sources when they are acting in the public interest."

Oakes told the ABC that after waiting three years the news was a "considerable relief."

"It doesn't come as a surprise to me that it's taken this long to resolve this matter, but look, it's obviously not ideal and it has been a very difficult three years," he said.

He added that whistleblower David McBride was still facing persecution for allegedly leaking the secret defense force documents that revealed the involvement of special forces in possible unlawful killings of Afghan civilians, including children.

"I am justified in doing so because our government was breaking the law. ... If the government commits war crimes, it is the duty of an officer or a lawyer to speak up about it," McBride told dpa last year.

McBride, who served in Afghanistan as a military lawyer, is facing five charges including theft of Commonwealth property and unauthorized disclosure of information. If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to 50 years.

"The Afghan Files is factual and important reporting which exposed allegations about Australian soldiers committing war crimes in Afghanistan," Anderson said. "Its accuracy has never been challenged, and it remains online for audiences to read."