The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Wednesday confirmed that he had a “constructive meeting” with senior Taliban leaders in Doha, and discussed counter-terrorism, intra-Afghan talks and the withdrawal of American forces from the country under the peace deal.
Taking to Twitter, Khalilzad said, “I held three constructive meetings with Mullah Berader and members of the Taliban Political Commission. Emphasized the US-Taliban agreement is inter-connected: CT (counter-terrorism) commitments, intra-Afghan negotiations, troop withdrawal, & gradual violence reduction leading to a permanent ceasefire”.
(1/5) I held 3 constructive mtgs w/ Mullah Berader & members of the Taliban Political Commission. Emphasized the US-Taliban agreement is inter-connected: CT commitments, intra-Afghan negotiations, troop withdrawal, & gradual violence reduction leading to a permanent ceasefire.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) May 20, 2020
“On violence, I told the Talibs violence by all sides must fall. Innocent Afghans have borne far too much and for too long the costs of this war,” Khalilzad further tweeted.
(4/5) On violence, I told the Talibs violence by all sides must fall. Innocent Afghans have borne far too much and for too long the costs of this war.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) May 20, 2020
On the US-Taliban agreement, “the Taliban expressed their commitment to the agreement and its implementation”, the US envoy added.
Regarding the missing Americans Mark Frerichs and Paul Overby, the Taliban said “they would do all they could to locate our citizens”, he said.
Khalilzad also met President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul and congratulated them on their agreement to form an inclusive government after proctracted negotiations.
In a series of tweets, he said, “We discussed next steps required to implement the agreement between the two leaders. On peace, we agreed that violence is much too high and there is a need to move urgently to reduce it by all sides”.
We discussed next steps required to implement the agreement between the 2 leaders. On peace, we agreed that violence is much too high and there is a need to move urgently to reduce it by all sides.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) May 21, 2020
Last Thursday, Khalilzad said that the Islamic State (IS) terror group had conducted two deadly attacks in Afghanistan earlier, which killed more than 50 civilians.
At least dozens were killed and many injured in an explosion that took place near a hospital in Kabul on May 12.
24 people were dead and dozens more wounded in a suicide blast claimed by ISIL (ISIS) at a funeral in eastern Afghanistan, according to the local government, in one of two attacks to hit the country on the same day.
No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.
This was the third consecutive day of blast rocking the Afghan capital.
The US-Taliban deal signed in Qatar on February 29 calls for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners to open the way for intra-Afghan negotiations.
More than 10,000 civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan’s war last year, the United Nations announced Saturday, as a historic partial truce kicked in across the country. India did not recognise Afghanistan diplomatically when Taliban was ruling the country from 1996 to 2002.
(With inputs from agency)