United States defence secretary Lloyd Austin known as for a discount in violence in Afghanistan and stated extra progress is required in Afghan peace negotiations earlier than Western forces withdraw from the war-torn nation.
“Clearly, the violence is simply too excessive proper now and extra progress must be to be made within the Afghan-led negotiations,” Secretary Austin stated at a Pentagon information convention on Friday.
“I urge all events to decide on the trail in the direction of peace, and the violence should lower now,” Austin stated a day after discussing Afghanistan with NATO defence ministers in Brussels.
The US “is not going to undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan” that places NATO forces in danger, Austin stated, including “no choices about our future power posture have been made.”
“Within the meantime, present missions will proceed and, after all, commanders have the proper and the accountability to defend themselves and their Afghan companions in opposition to assault,” he stated.
New US President Joe Biden faces a thorny selection in Afghanistan: whether or not to withdraw all US forces by the top of April – as promised to the Taliban by the previous Trump administration – or lengthen the US troop presence whereas attempting to maintain troubled Afghan peace talks.
Taliban deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on February 16 known as on the US to honour its settlement relating to worldwide troop withdrawals and warned that the group wouldn’t permit persevering with interference in Afghan affairs.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the US stated on Friday the Biden administration ought to negotiate with the Taliban on any choice to maintain troops within the nation.
“The primary get together that must be consulted is the Taliban. That’s the place the method ought to begin,” Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan advised an internet discussion board sponsored by the Stimson Middle.
“To current this as a fait accompli, I believe, will solely create problem,” Khan cautioned, based on the Reuters information company.
In Washington, in the meantime, there are growing calls by international coverage leaders and members of Congress for a unbroken US presence in Afghanistan.
The bipartisan US Afghanistan Research Group, mandated by Congress, really useful a brand new method to Afghanistan earlier this month. Leaders of the group testified on Capitol Hill on Friday.
“We advocate that US troops stay past Might 1,” stated Kelly Ayotte, a co-chair of the examine group and a former Republican US senator.
“We consider a precipitous withdrawal of US and worldwide troops in Might, could be catastrophic for Afghanistan, resulting in civil battle and permit the reconstitution of terror teams which may threaten the US,” Ayotte stated.
The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the September 11 al-Qaeda assaults. On the time, the Taliban managed the nation and had given al-Qaeda protected harbour.
Retired Basic Joseph Dunford, a former chairman of the US army’s Joint Chiefs of Employees underneath President Barack Obama, stated the examine group sees a possibility now for a “broader diplomatic effort in help of the Afghan peace negotiations”.
“There does in reality look like an finish state that may fulfill all regional stakeholders to incorporate Pakistan, China, Russia, India, and others,” Dunford stated.
Each Republicans and Democrats in Congress stated they recognise the state of affairs in Afghanistan is fragile and withdrawing now may lead to a lack of progress made in the course of the previous 20 years.
“A withdrawal made underneath present situations will possible result in a collapse of the Afghan state,” stated Consultant Stephen Lynch, the Democratic chairman of a Home Authorities Oversight subcommittee.
Consultant Paul Gosar, a Republican, stated he doubts the Taliban might be relied upon for a sturdy peace settlement.
“Basically, we’re discussing battle termination, and banking on the idea that US involvement within the present civil battle in Afghanistan will finish when the first menace – the Taliban – has dedicated to peace,” Gosar stated. “It appears fairly not possible.”
The US and the Taliban reached an settlement in February 2020 – after months of negotiations in Doha, Qatar – that known as for a everlasting ceasefire, peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan authorities, and a withdrawal of all international forces by Might 1.
Peace talks between the Taliban and Kabul authorities started in September however have been marred by persevering with battle, assaults and Taliban-linked assassinations.
There are about 2,500 US troops and 10,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan now. A US choice to stay previous Might 1 would possible lead to renewed battle with the Taliban and require the deployment of two,000 or extra US forces, Dunford stated.