The top U.S. general has held a historic meeting with Taliban peace negotiators in the Persian Gulf to urge a reduction in violence across Afghanistan and further advance peace talks.
Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff, met for about two hours with Taliban negotiators in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday and flew to Kabul on Wednesday to discuss the peace process with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, according to multiple media reports.
Although Mili reported no breakthrough on the trip, his meeting with the Taliban was a milestone. It was the first time in 19 years that America’s top general had sat face to face with representatives of the group that controls Afghanistan. During the longest war in U.S. history, Millie served in Afghanistan three times, first in 2003 and last in 2013-14.
“The most important part of my talks with the Taliban and the Afghan government is that [the Taliban] need to reduce violence immediately.” “Everything else depends on it,” Mr. Miliband told three reporters accompanying him to Qatar and Afghanistan.
Mili’s meeting with the Taliban comes amid a new drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
The United States and the Taliban signed the Doha agreement in February. The Trump administration has agreed that if the other side complies with the terms of the agreement, U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in phases until all troops are withdrawn by May 2021. One condition is a reduction in Taliban violence and a nationwide cease-fire.
The Taliban are stepping up their offensive against Afghan forces, especially in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, and they are destroying roads and other infrastructure, Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. and coalition commander in Afghanistan, said in an interview Wednesday at his military headquarters in Kabul.
“My assessment is that this puts the peace process at risk — the higher the level of violence, the higher the risk.” He said. As part of Washington’s efforts to advance the peace process, he meets with Taliban negotiators at least once a month.
Mili said he was saddened by the deliberate destruction of roads, Bridges and other infrastructure by the Taliban, as part of the militants’ efforts to limit the ability of Afghan government reinforcements.
Under the Doha agreement, the Taliban has pledged not to allow extremists to attack U.S. or allied forces on Afghan soil. The Taliban also agreed to begin peace talks with the Afghan government, which are at an early stage.
“The local military commanders are now starting to do things that are not conducive to peace talks and reconstruction and stability,” he said.
“It is clear that the Taliban are using violence as leverage” against the Afghan government, Mili added.
Former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper released a joint statement with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul as the U.S. and Taliban signed the Doha agreement. Esper said the United States will continue to honor its commitments to Afghan security forces, and while a historic agreement between Washington and the Taliban would be a good step, the road ahead will not be smooth.
Esper stressed that the United States and international partners will continue to provide the necessary support to Afghan security forces.
Miley said he is implementing Trump’s order to reduce the number of U.S. troops from 4,500 to 2,500 by January 15. At about 4,000 troops, Mr. Milly said the target of 2,500 troops would be met on time.
Speaking at a signing ceremony in Doha in February, Pompeo said the agreement would be meaningless without concrete action on the commitments included in it. He said the United States will be watching the Taliban closely to see if they live up to their commitments and will adjust the pace of U.S. troop withdrawals according to their actions.
“This is how [we] will ensure that Afghanistan will never again serve international terrorists.” “Pompeo said.
Recent Comments