a minute agoUS Defence Secretary on Unannounced Visit to Afghanistan
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived today for an unprecedented visit to Afghanistan, the first since taking office. Austin arrived in Kabul from India, at a time when the main theme is the date of the withdrawal of American soldiers from Afghanistan. According to the Washington Post, Austin said in Kabul that senior officials [...]
Austin arrived in Kabul from India, at a time when the main theme is the date of the withdrawal of American soldiers from Afghanistan.
According to the Washington Post, Austin said in Kabul that senior American officials want to see a “responsible end of conflict” in Afghanistan and a “passage towards something else”.
“There will always be concerns about certain things, but I think that much energy is focused on working to do what is necessary to achieve a responsible end and resolve the conflict through negotiations,” said Austin.
US President Joseph Biden said this week it would be difficult for the United States to meet the deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, which expires on 1 May.
Beden added that a possible extension of this deadline would not mean a longer “ ” period for soldiers to leave.
The deadline was determined by an agreement between Biden's predecessor's administration, Donald Trump, and Afghan Taliban rebels.
Following Beden's statement, the Taliban replied that the American soldiers' position in Afghanistan after 1 May would be a “violation of the deal” and warned that “will have reactions” if the United States does not meet the deadline.
Austin met with Afghanistan's top officials today, including President Ashraf Ghan.
Ghan's cabinet said the two officials condemned the rise in violence in Afghanistan, but did not say if the meeting discussed May 1st as the deadline for the withdrawal of American troops.
Washington is currently praising the agreement the Trump administration signed with the Taliban last year and is putting pressure on the government and rebels to find a quick way to a peace agreement.
In a sharp letter to Ghan, the head of American diplomacy, Anthony Blinken, recently stated that peace must be established urgently in Afghanistan and added that all options are still on the table.
Blinken also warned that it was possible for the Taliban to quickly take over specific areas in the event of the withdrawal of US and NATO troops.
The United States accommodates four billion dollars a year to help Afghan security forces.
