Speaking at an Atlantic Council event, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday that there are fewer than 200 al Qaeda members left in Afghanistan today, Reuters reported.
He was one of the main speakers at the start of intra-Afghan talks on Saturday, September 12, who called it a “truly momentous” breakthrough to end the 19-year-long conflict in Afghanistan.
“Nor will we, the United States, ever forget September 11th. We welcome the Taliban commitment not to host international terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, nor to allow them to use Afghan territory to train, recruit, or to fundraise,” Secretary Pompeo said at the opening ceremony.
The first formal talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban began with an opening ceremony on Saturday 12, with the aim to end the longest-running war of the country.
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